Cool pools: Chamber Mead, a new wetlands near the source of the River Hogsmill in Ewell

The South East Rivers Trust is inviting local residents to come and celebrate the newly-created Chamber Mead wetlands with a day of family fun, activities and guided tours.

The celebration day on Saturday April 20 will give nature lovers the chance to add plants to this critical pollution buster for the River Hogsmill, a precious chalk stream which rises in Ewell and flows through Worcester Park and Tolworth before entering the Thames at Kingston.

Families will also have the chance to learn about the health of the river by taking part in riverfly demonstrations, a scavenger hunt and nature craft activities. Guided tours of the wetlands will also be part of the day, which runs from 11am to 3pm.

The South East Rivers Trust is an environmental charity bringing rivers and their catchments back to life. Working in 12 river catchments across south-east England, including in Croydon and Sutton, the Trust connects communities and mobilises citizen scientists to educate and engage people on the importance of rivers, and supports and challenges stakeholders, businesses and individuals to protect them.

The open day at Chamber Mead begins a fortnight of planting opportunities for schools and community groups. All the plants have been specially selected to absorb pollutants and attract pollinators and an increased range of wildlife across the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve.

Plants such as yellow flag iris have been chosen for their ability to take up nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Meanwhile ragged robin and purple loosestrife will attract species such as butterflies, bees and damselfies, while brooklime, typical in chalk stream settings, will offer shelter for tadpoles and sticklebacks.

Digging deep: the Chamber Mead wetlands at an early stage of construction last year

The wetlands in Ewell now divert urban pollutants from the Green Lanes Stream away from the Hogsmill, one of only 200 chalk streams in the world. Once filtered water is fed back into the river just downstream of the famous Stepping Stones, another three miles of waterway is protected as it flows all the way to the Thames.

Dr Bella Davies, the co-CEO of SERT, said: “We’re thrilled to be giving the community the chance to learn all about Chamber Mead wetlands and crucially give people the chance to complete the project.

“The public have been very supportive of the wetlands from the start and adding plants is a wonderful opportunity to attract new wildlife not only to the water but the wider nature reserve.

Yellow flags: these irises are being planted to help revive the Hogsmill’s waters

“This will fulfill the potential of the wetlands to become another jewel in the crown of the reserve and make it an even bigger asset for the community. We’re excited to see the results in years to come on the Hogsmill, which should be a haven for brown trout, water voles and native crayfish, among other species which need our help in recovering their numbers.”

Supported by the Hogsmill Catchment Partnership, the project has received funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, Natural England (through the Species Recovery Programme), the Environment Agency, Surrey County Council, the Rivers Trust, the Zoological Society of London, Garfield Weston Foundation and Thames Water, with in-kind support from the landowner Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.

The new wetlands are part of the wider Replenish programme in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Rivers Trust. The aim of Replenish is to restore millions of litres of water in this and other local catchments, in turn improving biodiversity.

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