RIVERFLY TRAINING WITH WILDLIFE GROUNDSWELL AND CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST
- Sailors Creek
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
RIVERFLY TRAINING WITH WILDLIFE GROUNDSWELL AND CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST |
WE NEED YOUR HELP - MONITORING FRESHWATER POLLUTION
& IMPROVEMENTS ON WEST CORNWALL STREAMS & RIVERS.
FREE TRAINING – BOOKING A PLACE REQUIRED
NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE NEEDED
‘The Old Cattle Market’ Porthleven Rd, Helston. TR13 0SR.
Saturday August 30th 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Or
Tuesday 7th October 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
Pollution incidents can occur in our local Cornish watercourses, from many sources, such as diffuse land-based run-off, or via road drains, or sewage discharges, etc. This can cause chronic water quality problems, or even spell disaster for freshwater ecology in extreme incidents. Regular monitoring is the best way of identifying such pollution incidents, or ongoing local problems – and can enable a rapid response.
Cornwall Riverfly Group is a member of the ‘Riverfly Partnership’ - a network of organisations working together to protect water quality, by monitoring the presence of certain indicator insect species. We are looking to build a team of community volunteers who conduct credible citizen-science; ideally monthly samples, as part of this work in Cornwall - and we need plenty of new volunteers for multiple local sites.
The Angler’s Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) was launched by the Riverfly Partnership in 2007, to enable anglers and other interested groups to actively monitor and protect their local rivers. It helps rivers to be monitored more widely and at greater frequency than is possible by the Environment Agency alone.
The ARMI monitoring technique involves volunteers taking 3-minute kick-samples from the river or stream bed each month, and recording the presence and abundance of just eight pollution-sensitive invertebrate groups. The focus of the sampling is on ‘riverflies’ - mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies, and a few other types. These macro-invertebrates are very sensitive to pollution, and are therefore good indicators of water quality. Changes in species abundance at a monitoring site may be the first sign of a pollution problem. If invertebrate numbers drop below expected levels, the Environment Agency are informed, and will take action to investigate the suspected pollution incident. The Riverfly data held by each river group will also allow for long-term water quality trends to be identified; and the regular presence of volunteers on a river or stream will help to discourage potential polluters..!
If you can commit to taking a monthly sample (river levels permitting) you will need to attend a Riverfly training event; so that you can become a Riverfly Partnership volunteer. This is important, because scientific rigour of results requires that all volunteers, wherever they are in the country, follow the same method of collection and recording. The method is simple to follow, and the training will give you all the information you need in an informal, interactive and fun way; including introducing you to the importance of riverflies, and guiding you on identification of key riverfly species; as well as providing a practical demonstration, and lots of time for you to have a go and do some hands-on practice. At the end of the training, if you think it’s for you, we will secure surveying kit, and you’ll soon be ready to get out there and start surveying.
Training Required? - Provided by Iain Barker (EA & ‘Riverfly Partnership’) on behalf of: Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Wildlife Groundswell.
Equipment needed? - Wellies, (waders if you have them), suitable clothing for outdoors, and packed-lunch – beverages and all other equipment provided.
To book your free place(s) on the Riverfly training event of your choice, please contact Stuart Coleman ( Cornwall Wildlife Trust) for training on August 30 or Justin Evens (Wildlife Groundswell) for training on October 7, by clicking on the relevant link below.
Please visit their newsletter for full details and instructions on how to sign up.
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