Wild in the country

According to that great philosopher Winnie-the-Pooh, if you stand on a bridge and look at a river for long enough, eventually you will know all there is to be known.

Pooh may have been a bear of very little brain, but he knew enough to recognise that rivers are magical places where water becomes almost a living entity, exhibiting a variety of moods and personalities.

Kingfisher photograph by Carlton Gater Courtesy of British Waterways

It’s this diversity of character that makes time spent on the riverbank or canalside so rewarding. Fishermen, walkers, naturalists and idlers on bridges can all appreciate the everchanging, almost hypnotic power of water, and in rural Shropshire, where the Severn shapes much of our landscape, we have the bonus of wonderful wildlife to add to the enchantment.

The Shropshire Wildlife Trust, based in Shrewsbury, provides an enormous range of resources to help you enjoy the county’s natural riches. As well as educational activities for children, it looks after 38 nature reserves, implements volunteer programmes for conservation and campaigns vigorously on behalf of the flora and fauna that share our planet.

One recent success reported by the Trust concerns water voles in the north of the county.

This delightful but nationally endangered little creature is enjoying something of a population explosion here thanks to the preservation of its habitat and the scarcity of wild mink, its main predator. The return of increasing numbers of otters is another good news story for Shropshire.

If you happen to be out and about on the riverbank, you can take part in the British Waterways Wildlife Survey, which helps to map the population and general health of the animals that live in and around this environment. All you need to do is make a note of what you’ve seen and when and where you saw it. It could be a mammal, bird, fish, insect, reptile of amphibian – just log it and report your findings to www.waterscape.com/wildlifesurvey. Alternatively, call British Waterways on 01923 201120 and they will send you a form.

The survey provides essential information about creatures that share the Severn and other waterways with us. So why not add to the enjoyment of your riverside walk, fishing trip or Pooh-sticks competition by taking along a notepad and jotting down your encounters with Shropshire wildlife? Great fun for the children, and you’ll be providing essential data to monitor the state of our waterways. The survey runs until October, and for a snapshot of the results so far you can go to the website above. 

For more information about Shropshire Wildlife Trust see www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk