Introducing the brand new Chiltern Chalk Streams Project website
The Chilterns Chalk Streams project now has it’s own dedicated website!
In 2022, the Chiltern Chalk Streams project celebrates 25 years of this partnership set up to protect and enhance the precious and valuable chalk streams habitats of the Chilterns.
The project has grown from a staff team of 1 to 7, and is now undertaking a range of valuable projects to restore the streams and habitats for water voles, along with a major education programme with schools and universities and chances to volunteer and get involved with protecting your local streams. Here’s our summary of the highlights of the new website.
Beautifully made chalk streams videos
One major highlight of the website is three brand new videos combining gorgeous footage of the streams, animations and well worded information. We’re so proud of these films that we’ve embedded them on this page for you to watch too.
What is a chalk stream?
Combining gorgeous footage of Chilterns streams with animations of the native & visiting wildlife – this film is an education & call to action to protect these rare and special habitats.
How do chalk streams work?
Did you know that #chalkstreams are fed by underwater springs, causing flows to rise & fall with changes in weather & climate? Enjoy the second beautiful #animatedfilm by @chilternstreams ‘How do chalk streams work’ – fantastic for adults & children studying geography.
Chalk Streams in Crisis
The second video in the series explains how important chalk streams are, environmentally and in terms of the ecosystems they provide. You’ll learn about how the water resources for our water supply and how this threatened the water levels and therefore the wildlife. You’ll learn about and see the invasive species threatening chalk stream wildlife and how you can help.
Highlights
Here’s our summary of the highlights of the new website.
Discover
The Discover section of the website give you the lowdown on the nine chalk streams in the Chilterns.
There are tips for visitors with suggestions on the best walks for seeing the streams, plus information on volunteering opportunities you can get involved if you’d like to help with vital work to protect the streams.
There’s some great information on the history of human life around the streams, going back as far as post glacial human occupation. Plus a lowdown on the wildlife of the streams and an events page.
Hambleden Brook (Allen Beechey)
Chalk streams in crisis
The Chalk streams in crisis section of the website outlines the threats to chalk streams, from low flows and drought to invasive species, pollution and climate change.
There’s a page on opportunities to get involved, particularly highlighting citizen science volunteering opportunities where you can be trained to help monitor populations of water voles and river fly, or map sediment sources that pollute the river.
Grayling, a fish species that is sensitive to changes in water temperature
Schools and learning
Schools will love the fantastic Learning section which outlines some of the the amazing education work of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project, including information on how schools can get involved. The Trout in the Classroom page contains resources for schools on the life cycle of the brown trout. There are some amazing geography resources for secondary schools.
University students and lecturers will be drawn to the Research page, which makes available the latest research reports on water situation, water vole and river fly populations. There’s an opportunity to access academic research reports and the Chesswatch water quality dashboard.
Laura Silverstone, Chilterns Chalk Stream Project
Our work
The Our work section will take you through current projects that this partnership is carrying out – from the restoration of the River Chess and River Bulbourne, to making improvements to the Chess Valley Walk, to the water vole recover scheme and Water in the Dry Landscape, addressing issues to the health of chalk streams in the northern Chilterns.
You’ll also be able to download and read the newly published 25 year of the Chiltern Chalk Streams Project report.
Citizen scientists training in riverfly monitoring
Related news
Journey through the Chilterns with Chalk, Cherries and Chairs
Join the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership on a journey showcasing a small part of what the project has achieved in its five and a half years.
Chess Smarter Water Catchment team features in “The Ripple Effect”
Recently our River Chess Smarter Water Catchment team were delighted to contribute towards an ambitious digital campaign spearheaded by The Chartered Institution of Water and Environment Management (CIWEM) and in collaboration with Content With Purpose (CWP).
Big Chalk in the Chilterns
The Chilterns Chalk Streams Project (CCSP) showed off recent restoration work on the Hamble Brook, as part of a field trip from the first ever Big Chalk Conference.
Visit the Chilterns
Volunteering hub
