This week was all about chalk stream restoration and what a fantastic experience it was! Joining with Abbey People and the Greater Cambridge Chalk Stream Project, GoodGymers got busy at Coldham's Brook helping to restore this rare habitat. 💧

As well as the activity itself, we learned a lot about the ecological value of chalk streams. The porous chalk allows water to seep through quickly, removing organic matter and sediment, which results in very clear, very clean water, and supports a unique array of wildlife. 🌿

Our sessions involved:

• 🗑️ Litter picking - collecting bagfuls of rubbish, unearthing a lot of metal piping, complete bikes and shopping trolleys, and even a bag of Hindu deities (I will try and find their owner!).

• 🧹 Clearing - raking the banks to clear brambles and nettles, creating natural protective barriers.

• 🌿 Seeding - sowing a mix of marginal plant seeds along the banks of the stream to promote biodiversity.

• 🪜 Fencing - installing temporary fencing to protect the area while it establishes.

Catherine also rescued a toad from a near-miss with a rake, making sure it was safely returned to some vegetation on the bank edge. 🐸

EcoNick joined all 3 sessions this week 💪 " There was a serious amount of rubbish to clear from 10 til 2. The next session there isn't for a while so we needed to finish it. It was a really good workout, shifting mangled shopping trolleys. Looking forward to getting in the water more next week, and far far less rubbish!"

The project continues next week the more serene Hobson's brook.

This morning we were out once again with Abbey People. Our task was to maintain the banks along Coldham's Brook, which will help encourage wildlife and a range of habitats. We cleared away trees and shrubs which Cambridge City Council had already cut down and we used the branches to build up a bank alongside the brook. There was a lot of sawing and lopping as we cut branches down to more manageable sizes to carry over to the brook. We also cleared away overgrowth to allow more light on to the stream and also to make a more walkable path. It was quite a muddy task but it was great to see the difference we could make in one morning.

We had a very satisfying morning wrestling brambles. Two GoodGymers joined other volunteers to help clear the area next to Coldham's Brook, a chalk stream habitat. We made excellent progress cutting back some very overgrown bramble. With tea, biscuits and some enjoyable conversation, it was an great task. Thanks to Caitlin for welcoming us and we look forward to supporting another task soon.