At a Horsham District Council Cabinet meeting on 29 January, senior councillors will look to adopt a Declaration for River Recovery.
The Declaration recognises the importance to the natural world of rivers, their tributaries, and streams, and that these are increasingly under threat and in decline. This adversely affects the rivers themselves, wildlife and the wider natural environment, and the communities that depend on them.
The Declaration will also acknowledge the importance of all of the relevant organisations and communities working together to protect and restore resilient, vibrant riverscapes that will benefit wildlife and people.
The Declaration has been developed in conjunction with several neighbouring councils, as well as local conservation groups and two Rivers Trusts and relates to the rivers Rother, Arun and Adur.
It demonstrates a shared commitment to restore local rivers. The Council has no direct control over river restoration, but the Declaration reinforces its willingness to work in partnership with other organisations on this important issue and inspire local communities to act.
This proposal very much builds upon the work that is already taking place across the District to restore rivers and watercourses, and the wildlife that these support.
Commenting on the proposals, Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery Cllr Colette Blackburn said:
Healthy rivers are a powerful ally in mitigating the effects of climate change; they can protect communities from flood and drought events, and they bolster biodiversity resilience. This Declaration is another great example of the Council showing leadership on protecting the environment and working to reverse the decline in nature.
The good news is, that as a council, we are already making a lot of progress in the ongoing restoration of rivers and watercourses, much of which has been achieved through our ground breaking work with the Wilder Horsham District project, where the Council works in partnership with the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
Our waterways face many threats which will be made worse by climate change. These adversely impact on their overall health and the wildlife that depends on them, which in turn has adverse effects on Horsham District communities.