Bulbourne river at Berkhamsted

   Gravel bed

When the Liberal democrats took over Berkhamsted Town Council in 1999 we decided on a River Bulbourne Restoration Project. We brought together all the river-interested groups, the Environment Agency, the Chilterns AONB, the Borough Council, and others. A 5-year plan was agreed with joint funding from the partners.

The first AIM was to increase the flow of water by narrowing the river channel; the increased flow would scour the gravel and keep it free from silt.

The second AIM was to reduce the heavy shading from the canopies of trees, mostly willows and alders that had been allowed to grow unmanaged since the basket industry died. If these trees were coppiced or pollarded, sunlight could reach the river plants on which a healthy ecosystem depends.

These two AIMS had been successfully completed when the Conservatives took back the Town Council in May 2007.

Most of the gravel bed can now be clearly seen as in the picture. The Chiltern AONB Chalk Stream Project has a plan to re-introduce trout as a school study.

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