Volunteers Working Group

 

• Provide a suitable support and co-ordination mechanism for those co-ordinating the activities of volunteers on Catchment Partnership related activities;
• Create and maintain a training programme consisting of training courses which build volunteer skills or enhance their volunteering experience;
• Hold at least one annual meeting/event open to all volunteers, to share achievements and thank volunteers for their contribution;
• Seek funding to further the aims of the group and the Catchment Partnership
• Manage individual budgets relating to volunteer activity /training /support /engagement.
• Create a shared resource in terms of equipment required to support relevant volunteering activity;
• Supporting the engagement of additional volunteering groups and organisations in the Catchment Partnership, particularly in areas of low/no activity.
• Engage volunteers in other aspects of the Catchment Partnerships work through communication of information and highlighting opportunities, and ensuring a fair distribution of support and training across the Catchment.

 

A  brief summary of some interventions being explored.

cRHS

The River Restoration Centre (RRC) has adapted the RHS for citizen science (cRHS) so that it can be applied by members of the public after attending a short training course.  The cRHS involves recording habitat features, engineering structures and other pressures and taking measurements, photos and videos.

The data will be used to introduce citizen scientists to hydromorphology, the science describing the way rivers shape and maintain habitats for species. We will teach participants how to conduct a cRHS, use a 360⁰ camera, take photos, videos and record data that can be input into the cRHS database to generate scores. We will also show how the data can be used for planning for river restoration through applications.

The aim of cRHS is to have citizen scientists collect and interpret habitat data with the help of more experienced surveyors so as to produce assessments of habitat quality and river restoration plans and projects.

During Autumn 2022 the RRC will be delivering a cRHS, specifically for the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership, including additional consideration of water resource issues (low flows and flooding).  Field visits will include the Ivel Restoration Project, where river restoration  measures will be used alongside other interventions to help tackle low flow issues.