Trust launches urgent appeal to save river species from extinction

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has launched an urgent appeal to restore a major river and create thriving habitats for native species on the brink of extinction.

As Derbyshire’s largest single ecosystem, the River Derwent is home to some incredible species, from white-clawed crayfish and otters to Atlantic salmon.

But, according to the trust, beneath the surface of the water, the health of the river is in rapid decline.

Thousands of unique habitats, and the scores of Derbyshire’s native species that depend on them, are moving closer to extinction every day.

Pollution, increased fluctuations in water levels, and large-scale felling of riverside trees are just some of the threats the waterway faces.

To help save this precious ecosystem, the trust has launched the Derwent Survival Plan and is calling on the public to raise £195,000 before winter arrives, to help the team focus on the most urgent projects for nature’s recovery across Derbyshire.

With support from members and supporters, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s teams will carry out projects such as planting riverside trees to stabilise riverbanks and provide shade, reedbeds to slow water flow, creating habitats for birds like bitterns, and help to remove pollutants before water enters the Derwent.

Projects to bypass weirs will allow fish passage for species like Atlantic salmon, and leaky dams will be added in other parts of the river system to slow the flow for the benefit of wildlife.

Jennifer Kril, living rivers officer at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said: “The Derwent catchment is an incredibly important ecosystem in Derbyshire, but human actions have degraded and polluted this iconic river, destroying habitats and threatening species. We must act now before it is too late.

“White-clawed crayfish are at risk of extinction, lamprey are red listed, otters are red listed, water voles are endangered, and Atlantic Salmon are under threat.

“We are committed to restoring the habitats these, and other plants and animals, need to survive, but we cannot do this alone.

“We urgently need donations so that together we can restore and protect the river Derwent’s natural habitats.”

To find out more about the appeal and to donate visit https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/news/trust-launches-urgent-appeal-save-river-derwent.