The Final Straw Foundation, along with the Western Sussex Rivers Trust, the Brook Meadow Conservation Group and fifteen local volunteers, cleaned up plastic pollution from the River Ems - one of the local chalk streams running through Brook Meadow, Emsworth, and into Chichester Harbour.
There are only around 300 chalk streams globally, and 85% are found in the south and east of England. Chalk streams are the equivalent of the Great Barrier Reef, and the River Ems is one of only ten Flagship Chalk Stream Restoration Projects in England.
Helen Littlejohn from Final Straw said: “Today, we’ve removed 35 kgs of plastic pollution from the River Ems, including 26 dog balls, 17 dog poo bags, 65 cans, 25 glass bottles, 36 plastic bottles, and 1 shopping trolley. It isn’t just about picking up litter. It’s about changing our relationship with plastic and protecting the places we often take for granted. What really matters is what happens next - reducing our reliance on single-use plastic and respecting our waterways.”
If you care about nature and your environment, why not get involved in one of our other clean-up projects?
Contact: www.finalstraw.org