The Wessex Chalk Streams Project (WCSP) ran from 1999 to 2020.
The partnership project was led by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and strongly supported by Natural England, Wessex Water, Environment Agency, Wessex Chalk Stream & Rivers Trust and the Wiltshire Fishery Association.
The WCSP restored sections of the Hampshire Avon and its tributaries within Wiltshire. One of Europe’s finest chalk streams, the River Avon is a unique and fragile habitat and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Working with volunteers and specialist contractors, the WCSP delivered a number of large and small scale projects each year. We also provided expert advice to fishing clubs, river keepers and landowners to encourage best practice in river management.
Projects completed during 2019 and 2020 included:
- Western Arm Phase 2
- Mill hatches bypass on the Upper Avon
- Habitat improvement works and gravel introduction on the Upper Avon
- Habitat improvement works on the Upper Avon above Enford
- Habitat improvement on the River Nadder at Tisbury
- Bank protection works on the River Wylye near Warminster
- Invasive Non-Native Species control and management
- Garden Meets Rivers Edge
- River Fly Monitoring
- Biosecurity workshops and awareness