Last updated: October 2021
The River Kennet and its tributaries make an excellent topic for introducing subjects to the curriculum at pre-school, primary and secondary levels. The ARK (Action for the River Kennet) project helps protecting the river and educate youngsters about the importance of water by providing educational projects for schools. The 'Trout in Schools' project as a partnership with Thames Water (funding and support), aims to hatch trout eggs and raise them until the trouts are grown enough to be released into the River Kennet (Ref.1, 2). The project has celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018 and has engaged thousands of children (7).
Action for the River Kennet (ARK) with Emmer Green Trout Release (2018)
Linda Nemeth, retrieved 08/22/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Project objectives
The overall aim is trout hatching and releasing the trout in the River Kennet; the project works with schools in the Kennet catchment area between Marlborough and Reading. This because the River Kennet is one of the world’s finest chalk streams, with its abundance of trout directly linked to the quality and quantity of water. (Ref. 2)
The Action for the River Kennet (ARK) project provides learning opportunities for children in Reading, who care for the trouts and observe their growth in their classes. Also, ARK helps to educate children about environmental protection and water efficiency and understanding that the wildlife living in the Kennet catchment is sensitive and should be protected. (Ref. 7)
Implementation activities
The long-running Trout in School project was introduced to three schools in Reading in January 2015. Each school incorporated the different stages of the trout lifecycle to their classroom learning. (Ref. 3) In April 2015 trout were released into the River Kennet. (Ref. 2, 3) Since 2015, the trout project is implemented in each year. In the celebratory 10th anniversary of the project (2018) an event took place in the Osier Bed Stream, attended by primary school children representatives from ARK and Thames Water, where the trouts were released into the river after having been taken care by the schoolchildren (Ref. 7).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore valued species
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Young people and children
- Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Public sector institution
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Action for the River Kennet (ARK) worked in partnership with Thames Water; which has funded the project and developed classroom materials, to encourage pupils and residents to use water more efficiently. (Ref. 1, 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€50,000 - €100,000
Source(s) of funding
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Other
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Reduced biodiversity loss
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
References
Ref. 1. ARK (n.d.) Ark in Schools. Education. The River Kennet, Action for the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 2. Get Reading (2015) Pupils release trout into the River Kennet in Reading. Local news. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 3. ARK (2015) Action for the River Kennet Annual Report 2015. A partnership of people who care about the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 4. ARK (2016) Action for the River Kennet Annual Report 2016. A partnership of people who care about the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 5. Reading Council (2006) The Reading Biodiversity Action Plan. 2005-2015. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 6. ARK (n.d.) About ARK. About us. The River Kennet, Action for the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 7. Thames Water (2018) Fishing success for river education project. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September 2020.
Ref. 2. Get Reading (2015) Pupils release trout into the River Kennet in Reading. Local news. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 3. ARK (2015) Action for the River Kennet Annual Report 2015. A partnership of people who care about the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 4. ARK (2016) Action for the River Kennet Annual Report 2016. A partnership of people who care about the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 5. Reading Council (2006) The Reading Biodiversity Action Plan. 2005-2015. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 6. ARK (n.d.) About ARK. About us. The River Kennet, Action for the River Kennet. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September, 2020.
Ref. 7. Thames Water (2018) Fishing success for river education project. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 13th September 2020.
River Kennet
Source: Ref. 1