As one of the organisations that worked alongside Love Our Ouse in the development of the UK’s first charter of rights for a river  – the Ouse Charter –  TSF continues to work on ways of ensuring implementation of the charter and exploring what endorsement means in real terms for the river.   The charter is ground breaking in many ways, including giving representation to the river in decisions that affect it and its ecosystem.

In July we participated in an event organised by Love Our Ouse bringing together parish councils that have endorsed the charter, to experiment with an interspecies council model of representation. As a case study, the focus was on the North End Stream in East Sussex, a chalk- fed spawning ground of the iconic Sussex sea trout which is at risk from development.

Much was learnt and many useful connections made, not least amongst parish councillors keen to do whatever they can to protect the river system and its wildlife.