Celebrating 25 Years of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project

FOREWORD
2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project. I’m immensely proud of the
Project’s dedicated work to conserve and enhance our nine precious chalk streams in the Chilterns.
Chalk streams are key features of the Chilterns landscape, and these special threatened habitats are of
international importance.
A severe drought in 1996-7 highlighted the plight of the River Misbourne and was the stimulus for Project’s
beginnings. The River Misbourne was badly affected, having been in a state of decline since the 1940s. In
contrast, the River Chess had reliable flows, was rich in nature and was part of a largely unspoilt landscape.
Local people’s passion for chalk streams soon gave momentum to the project with the Chiltern Society’s Vic
Wotton playing a major role in bringing the Misbourne’s state to the attention of the responsible authorities.
The idea of bringing together water companies, the regulator and environmentalists may seem incongruous,
but the partnership led to an integrated programme of measures to restore and protect both the Misbourne
and the Chess and their valley environments. This has since provided a sound basis for work on other rivers –
the Project now covers all major Chilterns chalk streams and employed its first Project Officer in 1999.
Over the past 25 years, the Project has made an outstanding contribution to chalk streams conservation and
has become the longest running chalk streams project in the country. Work has ranged from enhancing and
restoring habitats, to improving public access to the streams. From education projects that engage schools
and communities, to landowner advice and river health monitoring schemes. Perhaps most significantly, the
Project has supported and enthused local communities to improve and protect their local rivers. This network
of committed local river groups plays an essential role in the conservation of these threatened rivers.
Many of the issues facing chalk streams in 1997 are still relevant today and, through increased investment
and funding for the Project over the last four years, the team is now seven strong. We see this as a powerful
endorsement of the project. We hope that this investment, along with the new National Chalk Streams Strategy,
will help chalk streams face their future, increased threats and protect them for future generations to enjoy.
Elaine King
Chief Executive Officer
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