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Every year, as part of our programme of tuition for young people, we include
conservation project work - either as a separate Young Conservationists
event or as an integral part of our programme of flyfishing tuition.
The founding principle of this initiative is participation: hearing a little bit, seeing
rather more and doing a great deal. All activities are carried out by the Young
Conservationists, who record the results and agree their conclusions.
Aquatic invertebrates survey
Surveying invertebrate wildlife
The YCs survey riffles, glide, pool and backwater areas of the stream, identifying
and listing the insect larvae and other small creatures found there. They also
survey the
aquatic weed types and draw conclusions about the habitat needs of the various
invertebrate species. Laminated invertebrate keys, interpretation boards and microscopes
give the YCs lots to do and plenty of chance to take part (and get wet).
Riverside plants and animals survey
The teams identify the species of wild flowers and trees along a stretch of the
river; they also identify the winged insects and the birds that are seen feeding on aquatic insects - had recently flown.
The YCs have also planted goat willow saplings to replace some of the trees that
have died from alder disease.
Identifying the wildflower species in bloom
Keeping records is an important discipline
Fish and Fish Habitat survey
The participants learn about the habitat needs of trout at various
stages of their lifecycle, walking a stretch of the river and counting the
pools, riffles and glides. A pool-riffle sequence occurs approximately
once every eight times the average width of this river. Many of the
threats to fish populations in this lowland river are reduced if there is plenty of
natural vegetation - grasses and wild flowers - beside the river and grazing is
non-intensive.
An aquarium makes observing the fish a lot easier
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