Trusts demand more protection for chalk streams

The government has been urged to help save England's chalk streams by several wildlife trusts.

Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) said the streams, home to endangered species like Atlantic salmon and water voles, have insufficient legal protection and should, like ancient woodland, be designated "irreplaceable" in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

In an open letter, penned alongside other regional trusts and backed by 5,400 signatures, it also accused the government of having "fallen short" in its previous assurances to act.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has been contacted for comment.

Little more than 200 chalk streams exist worldwide, the majority of which are in southern England, with many running through Kent.

The other trusts in the coalition are Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Herts and Middlesex, London and Norfolk, KWT said.

A KWT spokesperson said: "Characterised by their crystal-clear, mineral-rich water which is filtered through ancient chalk bedrock, they are not just important for wildlife.

"These waterways are also important in making people feel connected to nature and are woven into our cultural fabric, inspiring classic literature like The Wind in the Willows."

The organisation describe them as "among the rarest, most fragile habitats in the UK".

KWT added that none of the chalk streams in England are considered to be in good overall health, with only 17% ever achieving good ecological status.

Pollution and the abstraction of water to supply homes and businesses were among the reasons given for their poor state.

KWT added: "In its current state, the NPPF treats chalk streams as merely something to identify rather than a habitat that must be actively protected from the impacts of development.

"As part of the ongoing Save Our Chalk Streams campaign, we are demanding that this change."

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