Nature

River Mel Restoration Group

The last twelve months have certainly been very different for members of the River Mel Restoration Group. Several periods of lockdown have meant that we have not been able to work on the river in our normal fashion. Those working parties we were able to organise last summer were very task orientated and limited to a team of no more than six (including leaders). Sessions were kept short, socially distanced, and with no tea or coffee breaks. Not the way we like to work, but these have been unusual times.

Early last year we had secured some local funding through the Wild Trout Trust to enhance habitat for water voles in Melbourn. The first lockdown threw our plans into some disarray as our volunteers were prevented from taking part in the project due to the prevailing Covid regulations. Consequently, more of the work than had been anticipated had to be carried out by a contractor, supervised by the Wild Trout Trust, with the RMRG funding the extra work from our reserves. However, by the time this lockdown eased we were able to work in a socially distanced manner to repair the access point on the recreational field using surplus gravel left over from the water vole project.

Downstream in Meldreth, on a stretch of the river behind Holy Trinity Church, a new project is being delivered in partnership with the Wild Trout Trust and the local Wildlife Trust. Selective clearance of overgrown bankside vegetation will be followed by the introduction of gravel riffles to promote breeding habitat for the native brown trout and other fish species local to the river. Funding for this project came from the Cambridge Water Pebble Fund, and the initial enabling work has already been carried out. We hope that the rest of these works will be completed by the end of the year.

The River Mel footpath has been much busier than usual due to the various lockdowns, as more people have discovered the joys of exercising along the riverside. Unfortunately, this has led to more litter. We have carried out litter picking where and when it was safe to do so (along with many other local organisations and individuals). In addition to the usual bottles and cans etc. we are still having to clear away plastic poo bags filled with dog poo. Rather shockingly, 109 bags of dog poo were cleared from a 50 metre stretch of the footpath near Flambard’s bridge in Meldreth. How do we stop this? Bags of dog poo hanging from trees and hedgerows are not an attractive sight. Neither is it acceptable to leave faeces on the path or river’s edge un-bagged. It may eventually rot down naturally, but until then, it is a hazard, particularly to children, and to those walking, playing, or working near and in the river. Please, please take your litter and your dog’s poo bags home with you or dispose of them safely in any public litter or dedicated dog waste bin. We are extremely lucky that we have such a lovely amenity that has kept so many of us sane through the lockdowns and beyond, but we all need to take personal responsibility for looking after it. To contact the RMRG please email: info@rivermel.com