River Char Community Project

River Char Community Project
Clean, Revive, Restore
 
“The Char and its tributaries run throughout the Marshwood Vale, and with help, we hope to improve the wildlife natural habitats and water quality. This is environmental action on our doorstep, and we hope local residents will rise to the challenge and improve the enjoyment of the Char for everyone.”
 
Please join us on Monday 17th January at 7.30pm
on Zoom for:

  • an overview of the Project from Ian Rees of the Dorset AONB
  • a talk on the river and wildlife from Nick Gray of Dorset Wildlife Trust
  • insights on land management and soil from Tim Bowden of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West.  
  • Followed by a Q&A session, where you can put your questions to the team.
 
You’ll also hear about river walks, talks, working parties and things you can do to join in the River Char Community Project over the coming months.
Everyone is welcome.
Flyer for this meeting
 
See you on Monday!
Zoom Meeting Link (please join 5 mins early if you can):
 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82101260693?pwd=UXlrakFhekhwQndxajJuRW42ZkhkZz09
 
CHAR VALLEY PARISH COUNCIL
Whitchurch Canonicorum, Stanton St Gabriel, Wootton Fitzpaine
www.charvalley.org
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2021/2022 River Char Project: Action Plan

  • We launched the River Char Community Project on 11th Dec. 2021 at Becklands Organic Farm

Next Event:

  • On 17th January 2022 at 7.30pm there will be an evening’s ‘Char Conversation’ led by Ian Rees and Nick Gray. This will be online and a chance to discuss the report and plans for action with the report’s authors. To join, please click on this link

    On Saturday 22nd January 2022, there will be a first ‘daylighting’ working party (to clear a section of the river and its banks) will take place.
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  • Other workshops/walks will be organised between January and April 2022. 
  • Work on invasive species will start in June 2022. 
  • On Agricultural Land Management there is funding for an initial four advisory visits to local farms looking at farm economics and suggesting how to make them more sustainable environmentally & economically. 
  • We are preparing a leaflet to help residents to look after their septic tanks better. 
  • From April 2022, Dorset AONB will look for additional funding to allow the project to be widened to include the entire catchment. 
  • Other actions will be announced in January. 

Read the full River Char Report commissioned by your Parish Council from Dorset AONB - published Dec 2021

Read the summary report published in Char Chat Dec. 2021

Map of the River Char Catchment
The River Char and Monkton Wyld Stream Catchment
Is my river fit to play in? Check the online map at the Rivers Trust
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Watch BBC Panorama'a 'The River Pollution Scandal'
(In 2020 the water companies pumped raw sewage into English rivers for a total of over 3million hours)

​Read The Guardian's article - Britain oozes sewage

You can watch the AONB film that launched the River Char Community Project in summer 2021 below:

Background documents

For comparison:
​River Char Community Project documents