Being confronted with a section of the River Ribble full of dead fish had a profound effect on Philip Lord. Suddenly, the Whitewell angler, from Cow Ark in Bowland, realised just how much damage pollution was still doing to the environment he loved. He decided it was time for action.
Philip and a group of other concerned fishermen set up an organisation that grew into the Ribble Rivers Trust, a charity which has spent the last 20 years helping to transform 1,600 miles of desperately polluted rivers and streams in the Ribble catchment area.
That small group has grown into one of the north’s most successful environmental groups with a staff of more than 20 and in excess of 600 volunteers – men, women and children who spend their spare time planting trees, picking litter and checking water quality and the creatures that live in it.
Great attention has also been paid to the surrounding areas with 200,000 trees planted. Oaks, alders, aspen, rowan and hazel not only help stabilise and shade river banks but also provide valuable habitat for birds and small mammals.
There have been some remarkable success stories but no one pretends the job is done. ‘We’ve been going for just 20 years but there is 500 years of damage to be undone,’ says Philip, the trust chairman. While the Industrial Revolution turned many Lancashire rivers into little more than open sewers, the 21st century has brought its own set of problems such as farm pollution and invasive species. The ever changing landscape means they can never rest.
‘There are some really great things going on,’ says Jack Spees, the trust’s chief executive. ‘We are definitely going in the right direction but it can sometimes feel like pushing water uphill!’
Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Lancashire Life.
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Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Lancashire Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A Shopper's Paradise
‘Anything is possible’ is the boast of a famous Knightsbridge shop and it could equally apply to Clitheroe, where shoppers come eager to pick up something just that little bit different, especially in the run-up to Christmas
Back from the brink?
There are signs hedgehog numbers might be recovering, and we can all do our bit to help them, says Alan Wright of Lancashire Wildlife Trust
Memories of a LANCASHIRE CHILDHOOD
Blackburn-born Sara Foster has had a string of bestsellers on the other side of the world. With her latest novel now out, she reflects on her Lancashire roots
The tale of BEATRIX'S VALLEY
Land once owned by Beatrix Potter is at the heart of a noisy row over how we enjoy the Lake District
Liverpool's pyramid scheme
We’ve seen the shape of things to come – and it’s a pyramid. But are you ready to spend the afterlife piled high with 34,591 other people in Toxteth?
Around the world in 2000 paintings
Preston artist Martyn Hanks has spent 60 years globetrotting with his paints and brushes
WALKING THE BORDER
This glorious walk in the hills around Earby takes a peek over the county line
We will remember them
For a hundred years the Cenotaph has been the focal point for a nation’s grief, but few know its connection to Kirkby Lonsdale
A pawfect day out
The grounds of Holker Hall at Cartmel are a favourite with human and canine visitors
A LEGACY of LOVE
An unusual war memorial in Lancaster is a haven for wildlife and young people from the city