Green Capital / Feature
Green Capital 2015: A river full of rubbish
Bristol is a city of water – from the majestic River Avon, the floating harbour and canals to rivers, streams and brooks you are never that far from the water.
However, according to Ian Mock from the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, too often they are neglected and used as dumping grounds.
“From an environmental perspective we are not in the post-industrial revolution period where rivers were appalling, but two-thirds of them are failing what the European framework directive requires them to be,” he says.
is needed now More than ever
“Failure does not mean there is no life in them by any means,” says Mock, “what it does mean is they could be improved.
The trust has been awarded £5,000 by Bristol 2015 to organise clean-up campaigns across Bristol’s waterways.
“That funding will allow us to spend a couple of months working with local communities to try and get them engaged in their own improvements to rivers in the future,” said Ian.
“ It really is important for us as communities to prevent needless rubbish being tipped in a river because it is the most convenient place to leave it.”
Ian says that the grant will allow them to work with groups on up to six of Bristol waterways organising litter picks now and and into the future.
“We will supply them with the equipment they need to do that and give them help and advice on how to get rid of the rubbish because some people leave quite large pieces in the rivers as well,” he added.
The trust is looking for communities to nominate their local waterways, big or small, which are in need of help.
“We have been given names of streams which we haven’t even heard of before. They are the overlooked places in Bristol that really do need attention.”
For more information and to nominate a waterway www.bristolavonriverstrust.org
Image: Shutterstock
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