Derbyshire Wildlife Trust launched the Derwent Survival Plan four weeks ago calling on the public to help raise £195,000 to help save this precious ecosystem.
Now, with 17% of the target raised, and just over one month to go until the appeal closes, the Trust is urging the public to keep donating so its teams can focus on the most pressing projects for rivers and nature’s recovery across the county.
As Derbyshire’s largest single ecosystem, the River Derwent is home to some incredible species, but beneath the tranquil surface of the water, the health of the river is in rapid decline. Pollution, increased fluctuations in water levels, and large-scale felling of riverside trees are just some of the threats the waterway faces.
Thousands of unique habitats, and the scores of Derbyshire’s native species that depend on them, are moving closer to extinction every day - White-clawed crayfish, water voles and Atlantic Salmon are all endangered in the UK.
With the money raised by members and supporters, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s expert teams will take action to help nature recover on the water and surrounding landscape – projects such as planting trees to stabilise riverbanks and provide shade, and reedbeds to slow water flow, creating habitats for birds like bitterns, and helping to remove pollutants before water enters the Derwent.
