Wildlife trust's urgent appeal to 'save' river

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said creatures living in the water were under threat

A wildlife trust has launched an urgent appeal to "save the River Derwent" in Derbyshire.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's (DWT) Derwent Survival Plan aims to raise £195,000 before winter to restore the river and "create thriving habitats for native species on the brink of extinction".

It said the money would fund projects like planting riverside trees to stabilise riverbanks and provide shade, adding reedbeds to slow water flow, and removing pollutants.

Jennifer Kril, living rivers officer at DWT, said creatures that live in the river, including white-clawed crayfish, lamprey, otters, water voles, and Atlantic salmon, were under threat.

DWT said the "iconic" river was polluted

The organisation said the health of the river was in "rapid decline".

Threats to the waterway included pollution, increased fluctuations in water levels, and large-scale felling of riverside trees, said DWT.

It added the funding would help them to focus on the most urgent projects for nature’s recovery.

'Must act now'

DWT also plans to use the money to undertake projects like creating habitats for birds - for example, bitterns - and bypassing weirs to allow passage for species like Atlantic salmon.

Ms Kril said: “The Derwent catchment is an incredibly important ecosystem in Derbyshire, but human actions have degraded and polluted this iconic river, destroying habitats and threatening species.

"We must act now before it is too late.

"White-clawed crayfish are at risk of extinction, lamprey are red listed, otters are red listed, water voles are endangered, and Atlantic salmon are under threat."