Love the Lea: Campaign Update

Love the Lea News March 2015
All the news and much more from the Love the Lea Team
Thank you to everyone who completed our Your River, Your News survey. We’re happy to announce that the winner of the Love the Lea goody-bag was Richard Bolt. Congratulations Richard.
  • Surface Tension in 2014 we commissioned artist
    Rob St John to create a response to the pollution of the River Lea; Surface Tension is a project investigating life, pollution and biodiversity on the Lea using photography and sound.  In April we will be releasing this on CD, with an exhibition – upstairs at the Stour Space in Hackney Wick, a show on Resonance FM and free evening events.  Please join us on Thursday 2nd April at the Stour Space for the Surface Tension Private View.   Listen to Rob St John talk about his work including this project on BBC 6 Music on Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone on Sunday 8th March
  • Do you want to see a cleaner, healthier river? Perhaps you would like to see more reed beds? Do you know of a waterway that could do with some improvements? We want to know!  Your comments go into our London Lea Catchment Management Plan. This is a formal document that the authorities must pay attention to. Have your say here
  • Calling all schools in the Lower Lea Catchment

The Love the Lea campaign is offering primary and secondary schools
free river themed education sessions and a chance to apply for a free rain planter. Covering topics including urban water issues, solutions to water pollution, and monitoring the health of local waterways, these sessions will educate and inspire the next generation of River Ambassadors! The rain planter is designed to mimic a wetland by providing habitat and water purification functions, and results in a living educational resource for the school – but numbers are limited so get in touch to register your interest! Contact Edel, our Love the Lea Education Co-ordinator, on edel.fingleton@thames21.org.uk or  0207 515 3337. This offer is available to schools in the Boroughs of Enfield, Haringey, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, and Newham.

  • We’re very excited to announce that the construction
    of our first SuDS in Haringey has begun. Every time it rains this raingarden will be taking road run-off from Boyton Road into a system of swales and retention areas removing nutrients and pollutants. This will not only help to improve the health of the Moselle River, but will also reduce the risk of surface water flooding in the area. Keep an eye on our events calendar for our volunteer planting day. If you would like more information please contact Vicki on victoria.paternoster@thames21.org.uk
  • Work on the Houndsden Spinney SuDS and woodland glade creation are due to begin in the next few weeks! This is the third of four SuDS schemes to be delivered in Enfield as part of the Salmons Brook Healthy River Challenge. Houndsden Stream is badly polluted by plumbing misconnections and road run-off. We have already significantly reduced the amount of foul water entering  Houndsden Stream from households in the local area by successfully identifying and rectifying plumbing misconnections. Sadly the stream is still suffering from pollution that runs off the road every time it rains. The new Houndsden Spinney SuDS scheme will remove pollutants such as oil and petrol from road run-off before it is allowed to enter the stream using a system inspired by nature.  For more information please contact Elena elena.vonbenzon@thames21org.uk
  • Greening the Lea: In January we completed installation of a 320 metre long ‘vegetation corridor’ of green wall modules. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped build these in December. The modules are now in place on river walls of the River Lea tackling water pollution and providing habitats for wildlife. If you fancy taking a walk to see them we’ve created this map
  • Eel Monitoring: It’s almost time for our annual Eel Monitoring! The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has one of the most fascinating of all animal life-cycles. Beginning life in the Sargasso Sea as leaf-shaped larva, they make an incredible two year migration across the Atlantic Ocean to the rivers and shallow coastal waters of Europe. They enter European rivers as elvers, spending between 12 and 30 years as adult ‘yellow eels’ before undergoing yet another metamorphosis where their eyes enlarge and their bellies change to a silver colour and they start the long swim back to breed then die in the Sargasso Sea.  We are looking for volunteers to undertake monitoring at Lea eel trap, if you’re interested please email ben.fenton@thames21.org.uk.
  • Have you joined any of our volunteer events? Has volunteering with Thames21 affected your behaviour to your environment? Would you like to be in with a chance of winning £30 to spend at www.ethicalsuperstore.com We would welcome your thoughts in this survey
Did you know?
Bird nesting season has begun and will be taking place in reedbeds near you. It’s really important that we try and prevent dogs from running into them. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is a prosecutable offence to damage or disturb nesting birds intentionally or recklessly.
FAQ
Where does Thames21 get its funding from?
Thames21 receives funding from many local authorities, agencies and corporations (for a full list click here) but also from our corporate volunteering events.
If your business would like to enjoy a volunteer day with Thames21, please get in touch with our Corporate Partnerships Officer Verena on corporate-partnerships@thames21.org.uk
Got a question for Love the Lea? Send it through to Vicki at victoria.paternoster@thames21.org.uk

EventsWhat’s happening this month and things you can get involved in

  • Salmons Brook Pollution Monitoring  7th March – Lonsdale Drive where Glenbrook emerges from the culvert
  • Surface Tension Exhibition  2nd -30th April upstairs at the Stour Space in Hackney Wick
  • Salmons Brook Pollution Monitoring  11th April – Bury Lodge Park where the A10 crosses the Salmons Brook
  • Boyton Road Raingarden Planting Day  Saturday (date tbc)

 

Love the Lea Campaign Update November 2014
Love the Lea Campaign Update August 2014

Love the Lea Campaign Update May 2014

Love the Lea Campaign Update April 2014

Love the Lea Campaign Update December 2013
Love the Lea Campaign Update October 2013

Love the Lea Campaign Update July 2013

Love the Lea Campaign Update May 2013