Fish spotted!

I have just been copied into correspondence further down the brook - not as far as Hamwell Leaze - well exciting news is that for the first time in a while there are fish  - at least five male sticklebacks, each with its own territory have been spotted.

See photos - as the email says: "it seems to mark a milestone in the improved quality of the brook". Indeed - our recent walk also showed improvements but still lots that can be done to further improve.

Ruscombe Brook talk on video

We've had a couple of RBAG meetings but wanted to note this video link - I blogged about speaking last year at the University of West of England conference 'Learning to Live with Water: Flood histories, Environmental Change, Remembrance and Resilience' (see here) - well now you can see the video - was told I had half the time I thought - hence even faster than usual! See: http://flashmedia.glos.ac.uk/resources-general/videos/flood_heritage/philip_booth.mp4

My talk was about the Ruscombe Brook Action Group - it is worth seeing the other talks that are also listed - see here: http://www.glos.ac.uk/research/csfc/lfh/Pages/workshop.aspx

Amongst the presentations and videos you can see Stroud-based artist, Fiona Meadley's video of her talk here.

The Lawns gets a make-over!

Below is how Stroud Life reported on news re The Lawns which is where the Ruscombe Brook flows into...

Numbers come up to save oasis in urban jungle

STROUD Community Land Trust has won an £81,000 National Lottery grant to restore the Lake at the Lawn to its former glory. The charity is planning to convert the two-hectare pleasure grounds of a long-lost Victorian mansion into a haven for people and wildlife.

The Lawn stood as an impressive, nine-bedroomed country house on the border of Stroud and Cainscross 100 years ago. It stretched to the Stroudwater Navigation and included a boating lake and boathouse, terraced walks, brook, walled garden, stables, fish ponds and arboretum. The house was bought by the county council and demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Cainscross roundabout. Its gardens and lake have fallen into disrepair ever since.

Amid fears that it would soon be lost forever, the Stroud Community Land Trust secured a long-term lease on the site four years ago and plans were drawn up for its restoration. The lake is the only project in Gloucestershire to win cash from the Big Lottery Fund's £57.5million Community Spaces programme.

It will be transformed over the next 16 months thanks to the £81,022 grant. The restoration of old orchards, garden wall, fish ponds and pathways will be completed in partnership with Stroud Valleys Project and community groups. The funding will allow improvements to the lake's drainage system and public access, planting of specimen tress and habitat creation.

"This site is a rare natural gem," said Stroud mayor Coun Andy Read, who is project manager for the Land Trust. It is one of only two public green spaces serving more than 6,000 people in Cainscross. Our survey of surrounding households showed massive support for plans to restore it to its former glory. One resident described it as 'an oasis in an urban jungle'."

The garden is on the site of an old millpond, rumoured to date back to 1100, which once fed Canalside Mill, the lowest of five on the Ruscombe Brook. Research has shown it was still working as a corn mill in 1882. The trust has already raised £10,000 from BBC's Breathing Places Big Lottery Fund to plan and research the project. When the work is done a further £10,000 of Big Lottery money will be available to manage it. The project has been funded through the Community Spaces grants programme which is being managed by Groundwork UK as an Award Partner to the Big Lottery Fund.

What have we been doing the last month or so?

Our next RBAG meeting is in January but there have been several recent events/meetings that are worth a mention......

There was a small group that did a clear-up of rubbish from the Randwick tributary in October - see here. See also photo.

Philip Booth was one of the speakers in Bristol at a University event about flooding that saw academics from across the country attend. Philip spoke about the Ruscombe Brook Action Group - see more about the day here.

Philip and Jo Botteril attended the Stroud Valley Water Forum meeting with Neil Carmichael who again had to leave early - see here.

Philip also attended the District meeting regarding the new flood warning codes - see here.

Brook update

Severn Trent recently leafleted to say they are will be carrying out a biodiversity study before they look at relining sewer network. Unfortunately the telephone number on the letter didn't work - the guy had left - it took me a couple of weeks to track down the person who had taken over - why do folk just not answer emails or phone queries?

Photo: no otters in Ruscombe brook but have been sited not far away

Anyhow I have spoken with them as I have some concerns about the impact of their work and want to see if we can get some improvements in the process of any work. Recently for example FWAG gave advice on what we could do locally - see here. I await with interest their report.

In some ways the relining is a great disappointment as we had hoped for some replacement sewers as suggested by Severn Trent themselves earlier this year - see here our meeting with Severn Trent - they had said modeling showed not enough capacity for the sewage - however as there have been no incidents in the last 2 years they are now going for relining.

In fact, as we know, there have been sewage incidents but they were due to specific blockages. However on the plus side it would mean that any new housing in the valley would be more difficult as the sewer network will be at it's limits.

The new Severn Trent project lead says he has spent a period gathering relevant information that will assist in how they make their investment choice to resolve the problems experienced.

At present it seems their intention is to reline up to approximately 1km of sewer at various points along the Ruscombe Brook combined sewer. This will effectively seal the sewer and prevent future ingress of roots thereby maintaining a free flowing sewer. They have been undertaking further CCTV surveys of the sewers to provide a more up to date picture of the level of sewer dereliction/root ingress to ensure the project scope covers the problem sewer lengths.

Based on their current programme, they hope that work will be able to commence during spring 2011 but note "as you will appreciate there is further feasibility work to complete and various internal approvals that will be needed before we get to that stage".

FWAG lead walk along Ruscombe Brook

I've just taken this from my blog on Ruscombe Green:

What or who is FWAG? Well it is the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and is the UK's leading independent and dedicated provider of environmental and conservation advice to farmers.

Photos: Chantal Brown from FWAG and below various photos from the walk

Well on Tuesday the Ruscombe Brook Action Group were fortunate enough to have Chantal Brown from FWAG join us on a walk along the brook. Local farmer Julia Currie had kindly organised the evening which was a chance to see what could be done to improve biodiversity along the brook. See also my previous blog on invasive species here - although the photos have since been removed - follow the links to the Plantlife website instead.

We also looked at various 'problem sites' along the brook. This photo left is of the fencing put in to reduce cattle poaching - see previous blog on this here - the problem has not been solved and it maybe that a water trough is the answer. The second photo left here is of clay exposed by the water rushing down the brook - there is a pipe which sends water at high pressure out - it has worn the bank away - is it the run-off from the Wheelers Walk estate? Previously RBAG members have put in gabions to prevent further erosion - it looks as if this cheap measure is working at least partly but further work is needed. This again is the subject of our next RBAG meeting along with possibilities of further attenuation of water up the valley.

We discovered an ash tree (left) that had come down that night - great shame - we tried to identify who was the landowner and we will look to alert them of the problem.We also saw further damage to the base of the pipe bridge (see photo) that was replaced some years ago - it is being worn away - not dangerous but not great!

Many issues were discussed. One was about the Himalayan Balsam threat to the valley - infact I've had it reported that someone is growing it in their garden despite being challenged - don't know where but we really do need to try and get it removed - it is a serious threat - see our press release here that we have just sent out.

This year is the UN's Biodiversity year - see my previous blog on that here - much is at risk but we can do lots to improve the situation. Infact our valley is pretty rich with largely organic methods by the farmers - however we can do more - Chantal pointed out that the brook is very dark and overshadowed much of the way - we could significantly improve water quality and the habitat for creatures like bats by opening it up a bit - bats are also at risk - see my blog here - they welcome some open water and coppicing some of the bank edges will improve light to the brook. Indeed bats seem to love the two ponds at Ruscombe Farm (see photo) - and live in the caves at the head of the valley - also going to Woodchester Mansion.

Anyway it looks like we are set to discuss at our next RBAG meeting how we can open the brook more with a work party later in the year - anyone interested in joining us??

We also wondered about whether a sewer pipe was leaking in the fields - see this photo - it has been reported to the Watercourse Warden but no reply yet. It needs checking.

Hamwell Leaze Boardwalk opens

Further along the brook the Broadwalk at Hamwell Leaze had just opened - see my movie here with a write up and photos about the opening. The press have also covered the story and if you look very carefully you can see I got into the photos of both SNJ and Stroud Life.

Exploding seeds threat to Ruscombe Brook

During our recent interesting walk along the Ruscombe Brook with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group representative, Chantal Brown, members of the Ruscombe Brook Action Group were warned to look out for the invasive weed, Himalayan Balsam. This destructive weed is rapidly colonising river banks and other areas of damp ground.

In the light of this I did send a piece put together by a local resident. This is what they wrote:

"It is an annual plant which grows to about 2 metres with purplish-pink slipper shaped flowers in June–August. When the seed pods are mature, they explode when touched, scattering the seed up to 7 metres. Himalayan Balsam spreads rapidly, suppressing the growth of grasses and native British plants. Along river banks this leaves the banks bare of vegetation in autumn and winter and liable to erosion and flooding.

"Chantal advised that it should be pulled whilst in flower and before it has a chance to set seed, warning that many Gloucestershire river banks were becoming infested with the weed."

Ruscombe Brook Action Group are hoping to organise several work parties in the next few months to clear scrub and coppice trees along the banks of the brook. If you would like to get involved, contact me on 755451.