Attendance
Alistair Backwell (Friends of Blaise), Liz Viggars (SusWoT), Roger Moses (Friends of Badock’s Wood), Alex Dunn (SusWoT), Di Bunniss (FOBW), Peter Coleman-Smith
Apologies
Bryony Cole (Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle Climate Action Group), Frances Roberston (Friends of Badock’s Wood), Peter Coleman-Smith, Mark Maggs (SHB)
Discussions
Note [items in these brackets have been added post meeting.]
These minutes may refer to previous minutes, all minutes are on the Trout in the Trym Website.
Pollution Incidents – reporting
Roger has reported a new incident on the Trym. Wessex responded well, source not know yet.
Action Mark Try to find people who regualrly walk along Hazel Brook so that sources of pollution are identified to allow accurate reporting there.
Action All: Groups need to continue to build monitoring capacity and make sure people know what to do. All this is on the website, including the phone numbers that should be on people’s phones.
Action All ensure that people monitoring the river in your area are aware that incidents reported to the authorities should also be reported to Liz.
Yellow fish and rain in drain awareness
Previously: The Yellow Fish campaign would be launched in the Spring with messages to schools and the Wildlife leaflet would be used to make schools aware of the Trym and its wildlife on their doorstep. We will need to identify appropriate contacts in all local schools.We should monitor building works as likely sources of harmful materials going down the drain. We should look to educate people in the importance of the three p’s only going into the sewage drain.
8 March: Wait.
Wildlife Leaflet and Bryony’s Article
Bryony’s article has been circulated for use in local media, best suited to being published in May or June when people will be more interested in outdoor activities. Jon is happy to adapt the poster as required, this is now tied into the walkfest below.
Winter Cleaning
Regular river cleans are taking place now. SusWoT are holding theirs every Friday 10:00-12:00 and every Sunday 11:00-13:00. Email suswot2050@gmail.com if you can help, you will be added to an list and asked each week if you can help that week.
Henbury and Brentry
Work is yet to start. Mark and Alice are focusing on the SH&B Event sometime in May.
The worst rubbish was to be found near the bridges over the brook, there are carpets and clothes as well other rubbish to remove.
Alex has been in touch with Mark Weston who organises a monthly litter pick in the area. Mark W has said he will promote the work to clean up the Crow Lane open space to his volunteers.
It is possible that the Trout in the Trym weekly events will be able to focus on the Crow Lane Open Space soon.
Action: Mark to organise Saturday morning river picking activities (10-12) as soon as possible. Peter C-S said he would support this. SusWoT woud support this too so that Mark could start to build up a team.
Blaise:
Action Alastair Confirm with the rangers that there is no litter in the river that needs to be remoed.
Alastair reported that Simon Brooks does almost daily work maintaining a litter free Blaise. (Action Alastair: Check he is not removing natural wool from the river and whether additional work is needed to clean the river in Blaise.)
Coombe Dingle and Sea Mills:
There is a small section that can be done with benefits before the summer. This should be comptleted this month. The whole stretch will need to be done thoroughly in the Summer. The green space is reasonably clear although the slope down from Sea Mills Lane needs more work, there is a mass of rubbish from a house and some of the space opposite by the Bridge on Shirhampton Road is deeply littered.
Golf Course:
Not done. Not thought to be serious due to regular maintenance by the Golf Club.
Westbury Village:
Done. Monitor.
WWP:
Previously: Assumed to be OK.
Badock’s Wood:
No serious issues managed by FoBW.
Southmead Trym Valley:
As at 6 March done except for some litter by Trwbridge Road.
Map
Silt Traps and Weirs
After a discussion it was agreed that we should continue to try to clear the silt trap ourselves even if the improvement might be modest. We could approach Wessex Water for help and would be in a stronger position if we were able to demonstarte we were doing something.
Alastair reported that £125k was spent doing lots more than just clearing the silt. Perhaps £50k.
Actions
Alastair to contact Theo Pike and ask what are the things we might do (ourselves?) that would improve things with respect to silt and weirs, the most benefit, for the least effort, and with a chance of getting away with it. 8 Feb update: None given. 8 Mar update: None given.
Alastair to talk to ranger Nigel (Ian?) about what we actually could do with the silt traps. 8 Feb update: We need the keys to unlock it but we do not know where they are Ian gave them to the Fix It Team. 8 March Update Alastair is now in contact with Caroline to get the Key to the silt trap.
Alastair to contact the appropriate people in the council asking how they propose to make the water quality in the trym excellent and asking if we/they can remove or notch the weirs and sort out the silt traps. 8 Feb update: Mary who was the previous contact has been replaced by caroline.ennion@bristol.gov.uk.
WalkFest (All May 2022)
WalkFest
Frances is managing this. All seems to be in order although Mark Maggs needs somebody to help him with his walk. The graphic Jon produced would be available for use. Frances has sent out information separately.
Quartet in the community Report
We’ve been asked to provide this by end of June. it was agreed that we should produce high quality report with the intention of building a strong relationship with Wessex Water.
Action Alex to produce report for circulation
Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership Meeting
This is on 15 March. Alex and Peter due to attend. They have the following issues to discuss with them. Balsam, River Cleaning, More support for our newer Groups, Outfall Survey, Remove Barriers. Ponds/Silt, Rebending, Commiunity Programs, Wessex Water.
AOB
None