Small Ripples to Great Waves ANJA JACKSON
Photojournalist Anja Jackson met with some of the many workers and volunteers who spend their time helping the wildlife in the environment surrounding the lower reaches of the River Severn.
Small Ripples to Great Waves How the actions of many individuals can create a wave of change The River Severn is the UK’s longest river, stretching 220 miles from its source in Plynlimon, Wales to eventually becoming the estuary that forms part of the border between Wales and England. Containing the second largest tidal range on the planet and an abundance of silt and debris, the River Severn has formed wetlands, mudflats, floodplains and lagoons which provide
habitats for a vast array of different species of wildlife. These areas are often only home temporarily for these animals - migratory birds tend to leave in spring and return for each winter, while many species of fish and eels use the river at specific points in their life cycle for breeding or feeding. Others remain in or near to the Severn all year round. With global warming, pollution
and an ever-increasing world population, the environment is under more pressure than ever and people are increasingly having to intervene in order to protect wildlife from the impacts of humankind. The introduction of non-native species of animals and plants as well as the changing uses of land also have huge and often unpredictable impacts on the flora and fauna of an area.
Collectively, mankind is becoming more aware of the true scale of the impact we are having on our planet. Scientists have known for years how unsustainable modern life is, and now the general public is also slowly beginning to understand the need for change. Over 6 million people live by the River Severn, and many passionate individuals are dedicating their time to the cause of conservation, aiming to preserve the beauty and diversity of this important and historic river. The people photographed for this project come from a wide range of backgrounds and all have different reasons and motivations for doing what they
do. Some are passionate about a certain species of animal or plant and are dedicated to helping them increase their numbers. They may also feel strongly that everyone has a duty of care to the environment and they want to spend time educating and recruiting others to help. Some of these individuals are paid for their work and have chosen to make conservation their full-time job, whilst others are giving up their free time voluntarily to help causes they are passionate about. The locals who enjoy seeing wildlife on their doorstep and take small steps to keep the area safe for these animals are no less important than those paid for doing highly
scientific research or organising large-scale projects. It can seem daunting to think about how to go about protecting the planet and the wildlife that lives here, but there are many things that can be done relatively easily. Donations can be made to support environmental charities without even leaving the house. Simple actions can have more impact than we realise, and if we can inspire others to think about what changes they can make in their lives to help protect the area in which they live, then something that starts off as a small act of environmental kindness can quickly ripple and become a wave of change for the better.
“I want to do my little bit to save the world. And have fun doing it� ~Anon Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
In 1946, the late Sir Peter Scott set up the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge, which has become thought of as the birthplace of modern conservation. The centre was unique at the time in that it was open to the public as Scott wanted as many people as possible to become closer to nature. Slimbridge became the first of nine WWT Centres in the UK, and part of a charity that has been involved in important conservation work worldwide. Over 200 species of birds can be found at Slimbridge throughout the year. Many are migratory, and come from many different parts of the world to stay in the UK over winter, or stop off on their journey to or from their breeding grounds. Others make the
reserve their permanent home yearround, sometimes forming part of vital captive breeding programmes. Such programmes have been successful in bringing back many species from the brink of extinction. In order to host such vast numbers of birds, Slimbridge is situated in one of the few remaining areas of natural wetland in the UK. Many of these valuable habitats have been destroyed in recent years to make room for agriculture and building, but the Trust is working on restoring as many of these areas as possible. Wetlands also serve as a powerful but natural defence against flooding. Like many charitable organisations of this nature, not everyone who works there is a paid full-time employee -
some are volunteers who give up their time purely for their love of wildlife and a desire to be involved with something so globally important. It is clear that throughout the many different roles that people have at the centre, they are all incredibly passionate about the work that they do. As well as pioneering research and conservation, Slimbridge is also a tourist attraction, bringing in hundreds of thousands of guests and schoolchildren each year. By making the reserve appealing to visitors, not only does the organisation generate money for the conservation work that it does, but it also educates people and provides the opportunity to be close to nature.
John Crooks, Slimbridge’s Captive Animal Manager with his favourite animals to look after, the otters.
Greylag Geese in flight over the wetland. While Slimbridge does provide a home to species of birds from all around the world, this is the only kind of goose native to the British Isles.
A view from the Observation Tower, looking over part of the visitor centre.
The Lonely Litter Picker
Tanya Laird first noticed that Gloucester has a litter problem whilst walking her dog Ikey. Since then she has made it her mission to do something about the issue and now picks up rubbish on every dog walk and regularly organises group litter picks with other like-minded volunteers. After registering with Gloucester City Council as a volunteer, Tanya was provided with a litter picking stick and regularly gets plastic bin bags. When she has filled the bags, they are left at designated spots to be picked up and disposed of by the council.
Though crisp packets, plastic bottles and cans do fade somewhat in the sun, many are older than they initially appear. Quick checks of expiry dates on packaging can reveal litter that has been stuck in hedgerows for decades. As soon as it is picked up, more appears, either brought downstream by the river, or dropped fresh by people carelessly discarding their rubbish without thinking of the consequences. To collect it all is a seemingly endless and thankless task. As well as being unsightly, litter poses many serious threats to the
environment. It is well-known that plastics take hundreds of years to bio-degrade, and are often mistaken as edible by unsuspecting wildlife. Metal cans and glass bottles can become sharp and dangerous when broken by grass cutters. Cigarette butts, the biggest source of litter, also contaminate the ground and water table with many harmful chemicals. While picking up litter by the bagful is a well-meaning attempt at finding a solution to the problem, the real difference will only come when the general public change their attitudes.
“People think that because Gloucester is inland, that the problem of plastic and litter in the oceans is not our responsibility. But the river runs straight through here. Every time it floods it picks up all the rubbish on the banks and carries it straight into the sea.” ~ Tanya Laird The Lonely Litter Picker
Some of the litter that is often found along the banks of the river running through the Wesgate area of Gloucester. Areas near busy roads are also hotspots for litter thrown out of vehicles.
Many people will drop litter without even thinking about it, and Tanya is not afraid to confront anybody she sees doing so. She is passionate about getting people to think about the impact of their actions and believes that our current throw-away, disposable lifestyle is completely unsustainable. While living completely waste-free in modern-day society seems almost impossible, simple changes can be made to reduce our individual rubbish production. Things such as using refillable water bottles and coffee cups, refusing plastic straws and buying vegetables that haven’t been pre-packaged can help to reduce the problem somewhat. Any inevitable waste that we do produce should be separated, and as much as possible should be sent to recycling. An estimated 62% of people in England drop litter, with much fewer actually bold enough to admit to it. Clearing it all up is costing tax payers in the country over £1billion each year.
Formed where the River Severn splits into two channels that join again over two miles downstream, Alney Island on the edge of Gloucester is hidden in plain sight, with many locals not realising it is technically an island. Historically, it was the lowest point that the river could be crossed before the first of the Severn Bridges was built leading into Wales in the 1960’s. Horse races and annual community events were held on the floodplains. Now, other than the agricultural fields in the north of the island and a few small residential streets, Alney Island is mostly overlooked in its significance and its primary function seems to
be supporting the raised roads and busy junctions that meet at a large roundabout in the centre of the island. Due to its location, Alney island is a perfect spot to view the Severn Bore, a regular event caused by the unique tidal nature of the river. A few times a month, the tide rises in such a way that a large wave is formed and is funnelled up the river. Many surfers and kayakers aim to try and catch the wave whilst many spectators come to watch. The Friends of Alney Island are a group made up of a mixture of people who work for local councils and environmental organisations as well as other volunteers from the general public. They carry out maintenance work on the nature reserve in the south of the island that is vastly under-used, bar a few dog-walkers. The area has 4 long footpaths that make their way through woodland, low-lying marshes and grassy fields sometimes used for cattle grazing. Parts of the island are regularly innundated with flood waters caused by heavy rain
and high tides, making the balance of flora and fauna delicate and specific. The pools of stagnant water found in the boggy areas accumulate algae and debris of all kinds, brought in and deposited by flooding. Much of the group’s work involves litter picking and coppicing trees. This means that more sunlight is able to reach the ground and in turn allows certain types of plant to grow once again after the introduction of nonnative species. Recently, orchids have been growing again in areas they have not been seen for years. The area is also home to amphibians, wading birds and a variety of insects. The aim is that the nature reserve part of the island returns to a state similar to how it would have been naturally before human intervention drastically altered the landscape. New volunteers are always welcomed and the group enjoys the social aspect of regular scheduled volunteer sessions and the option for tea and coffee after a morning's hard work.
"I was lucky enough, during the first week of May, not only to hear a cuckoo calling on the Island but I actually saw one perched in the willow trees that line the riverside down to the lower parting of the river. On the same day I saw four Canada Geese, six Greylag Geese and a Common Sandpiper, all in a 15 minute period!" ~Richard Countryside Ranger
The Gloucestershire Naturalists Society was formed in 1948 with the aim to promote an interest in the wildlife of the county. It also took on the responsibility also has the role of recording all the flora and fauna within the county. Members are appointed specifically to record birds, mammals, insects and wildflowers and people are encouraged to report any sightings to them. Throughout the year, the Society holds many regular talks and field meetings to learn about the natural history of the county. Many of these events are open to both members and non-members who get to know each other very well within the community. Members recieve a quarterly newsletter containing news about the society and scientific articles and magazines about wildlife. They also have access to the society's extensive library of relevent environmental books and journals. One project that has been at the forefront of importance recently is the Curlew Call project. Curlew are
ground-nesting birds that are rapidly declining in numbers due to loss of habitat, disturbance of breeding grounds and predation. All these things mean that while there are still many breeding pairs, chicks often do not survive to adulthood. The Severn Ham in Tewkesbury is currently the nesting site for five curlew. This meadow in the bend of the river seems a perfect habitat with soft ground and ideal coverage from hay, wildflowers and grasses. However, the Ham is a busy meadow and curlew are very sensitive to disturbance by walkers and dogs. Signs have been erected to try to encourage people to stick to the footpaths around the edge of the Ham and to keep dogs on a lead rather than letting them run loose throughout the meadow. As curlew are in such steep decline, some are being fitted with rings to be able to track each individuals' whereabouts and migration patterns over long periods of time.
"Thanks to the colour rings we can now recognise individuals, and have confirmed that they are incredibly faithful to both breeding and wintering sites, returning year after year to the same mudflat and high tide roost in winter, and to the same breeding field in summer." ~ Mike Smart Chairman of the GNS Because of this reliance that migratory birds have on their habitats, it is incredibly important to preserve any sites that they are able to nest or breed in so that they can return year after year. Another recent problem is the leaking of Severn Trent's water pipe which runs directly underneath the Ham and has caused flooding on certain areas of the meadow. Whilst the Severn is a tidal river and flooding in areas like Tewkesbury is not uncommon, chemically treated water from pipelines is very different from natural floodwaters and can cause a whole host of issues when mixed with the groundwater supply. The GNS has been one of the groups putting pressure on Severn Trent to sort the leak as quickly and efficiently as possible, whilst making sure they do so with minimal disturbance to the surrounding fragile ecosystem.
Chairman Mike Smart next to one of the signs put up by volunteers on the Tewkesbury Ham, warning people of the kinds of ground-nesting birds that are vulnerable to disturbance. Mike has been birdwatching in the area his whole life, with a particular interest in waders.
There are five curlew currently nesting in Tewkesbury; two breeding pairs and a single male who can be found repeatedly making advances at one of the females.
“This isn’t just about fish – we want this project to reconnect millions of people with this beautiful river” ~ Sir James Bevan Chief Executive of The Environment Agency
During the Industrial Revolution, The River Severn played a vital part in transporting goods in the UK. Weirs and locks were fitted up and down the river to aid navigation by boats, but have effectively closed off many parts of the river to migrating fish who struggle to get past the barriers. Species such as the Twaite Shad were historically an important fish, and were eaten as a delicacy up and down the country. Now, they are much more unheard of due to their hugely diminished population and are one of a list of species now extinct in the upper reaches of the river where they once thrived. The River Severn Unlocking Project, a new £19.4million project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Union LIFE Programme, aims to re-open the river and one of its largest tributaries, the Teme, to fish whose numbers have declined
massively over the past few hundred years. By fitting fish passes to the sides of weirs like the one pictured, fish can navigate past them to make their way to more suitable breeding sites upstream. The Severn Rivers Trust are organising community events and encouraging local people to get involved in the project by monitoring the weir and recording any sightings of migrating fish. Observation slots can be as short as 10 minutes and volunteers need no prior knowledge - just a keen eye and a pack provided by the trust, containing guides on what to look for. Cloud cover, time of day and water temperature are all recorded, and volunteers wear special polarised glasses to cut glare from the water. By monitoring numbers of fish successfully making the journey over the weir, and also recording any failed attempts, the general public are
able to help scientists gain further understanding on the habits of the species. This can prompt speculation on what else can be done to improve their numbers and bring the population back up to what it used to be. Monitoring during the five-year project will be taking place at sites up and down the river, with a network of scientists and volunteers collecting data to pool together. Schools and community groups are also getting involved and holding workshops, inspiring a young generation to really consider how our actions within the environment can have widespread and long-lasting consequences.
Upper Lode Weir in Tewkesbury, one of many weirs, locks and barriers that can make it difficult for fish to migrate upstream. Large fish such as salmon are able to jump out of the water to get over, especially at high tides like pictured above, but smaller species such as the shad struggle against the strong current. Seven new fish passes will be built at sites like this along the river to enable the shad and other small fish and eels to continue their journey upstream.
To gain further understanding of the conditions in which these fish are likely to migrate, teams are fitting underwater sonar devices which can sense when fish move past.
“I had never really given any thought to the difficulties that wild animals encounter when their paths cross with ours... It made me think about the huge number of wild animals which must be suffering out there, with no-one to help them despite most of their injuries being caused by humans, albeit unintentionally most of the time.� ~ Caroline Gould Founder of Vale Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre
The Vale Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre began in the back garden of a small family home in Worcestershire in 1984 when founder Caroline Gould was asked to look after an injured tawny owl by a local vet. This simple beginning grew into a fullyfledged hospital charity that employs 12 full or part-time staff and enlists the help of many more volunteers on a daily basis. There are workers and volunteers running the centre 24/7, every day of the year in order to give emergency care to the thousands of casualties that come through their doors needing operations, treatment and rehabilitation. The staff are experts in their field and are often called upon for advice from further afield and sometimes even overseas. The centre does not look after domestic pets, and instead takes in a range of wild animals from a wide surrounding
area. They mainly deal with mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes and badgers, and birds like swans and owls but also care for amphibians and occasionally fish and insects too. The majority of the injuries and illnesses that the centre deals with are caused by humans in some way, either directly or indirectly. Some animals are hit by cars or fly into windows, some are poisoned by chemicals or get attacked my domestic pets. In 2016, Vale took in George the swan from Pitville Park in Cheltenham, who had been cruelly shot through the head with a crossbow bolt. Thankfully he made a full recovery and was back on the lake just a week later, miraculously keeping his sight. The people who are part of Vale Wildlife are doing their bit to fix the damage that humans are doing to animals. Money for the centre is generated
through fundraising, sales in the store at the front of the hospital and in their charity shops as well as generous donations. One option to generate a lot more revenue would be to open the doors to the public and charge an entry fee in return for seeing the centre and learning about the work that goes on. However, this would mean a much busier, more hectic environment which would result in huge and sometimes fatal levels of stress for the wildlife. Therefore the hospital and outdoor rehabilitation enclosures are not open to the public other than on the annual dedicated open day. Human contact must be kept to a minimum to ensure that animals can successfully be released back into the wild after staying at the centre.
Birds and other animals in the hospital are weighed as part of a series of daily checks to monitor their health.
The Swan Food Project is a completely volunteer-led organisation that not only feeds the swans in Worcester, but also tags them and keeps an eye on their health, footing the bill for any medical treatment they may need. There are approximately 250 swans that make Worcester their home, and are fed 365 days a year by members of the Swan Food Project. During summer months their work is less vital as in warmer weather there are many passers by that enjoy feeding occasionally, however in winter when natural food is scarce and the general public aren't having picnics by the river, these swans rely on the volunteers for survival. It is also critical that swans
are fed properly during their moulting season when they are unable to fly, and during egg-laying. A natural diet for a swan would be water plants, but these are often scarce in large rivers and canals. The flock here are fed on a variety of things by the volunteers, as well as whatever the general public decide to feed them. Grain is bulk-bought with money generated through fundraising. Local stores and cafĂŠs sell small bags of specialised swan food pellets to people wanting to be involved, and this raises funds for the grain. The local cricket club donates grass cuttings which also form part of their diet. Leftover bread from supermarkets is also used,
David and Marilyn, two regular volunteers, spotted a swan who had swallowed fishing line. Due to the regularity of such unfortunate occurances, David is skilled enough to be able to remove a line once the unlucky swan has been caught. Had it been left, it would have caused a complete blockage of the gullet and she would have starved to death. but only as a last resort as it is far from a natural diet for a bird. Problems come when the well-meaning public make mistakes such as putting too much food out which then rots and picks up harmful bacteria. Swans that eat rotting food can end up with severe and fatal poisoning. Large vegetables or lumps of bread that hasn't been cut up can cause choking. A group of pensioners volunteer to break up the bread into small bitesize pieces, a job that previously took up the entire of the swan-feeders' evenings. This way, even more members of the community can become involved, even if they can't come and physically feed the swans themself. Most of the swans in the Worcester Sanctuary have a tag around their left ankle, which can identify where they have originally come from and can be used to
keep a medical history of any swans who have needed veterinary treatment. This may be needed due to food poisoning, entanglement in fishing lines or hooks or lead poisoning from old fishing weights. Sometimes injuries are severe enough that a wing needs to be amputated. This is something that many organisations would not be willing to pay for and would simply have the swan put to sleep. However, swans can survive fine with only one wing, despite sometimes needing to be rescued if they swim somewhere flooded and become stranded when the water goes down. Despite a wide-spread cultural fear of swans being dangerous, they rarely attack unless provoked, and territorial displays designed to show off to other swans are often mistaken for aggression. Generally they are pleasant, sociable birds.
The view looking towards part of the wetland area from one of the many bird-watching hides at Slimbridge.
