The River Thame Conservation Trust’s Community Action for the Bear Brook (CABB) project has brought together residents of Fairford Leys, Aylesbury to champion the Bear Brook, a beautiful but underappreciated watercourse flowing through Aylesbury. This initiative engaged local residents in a range of conservation activities designed to protect and enhance the Bear Brook, a tributary of the River Thame. Through hands-on volunteer efforts, public events, and citizen science, residents not only improved their local waterway but also forged stronger connections with nature and each other.

Bear Brook, winding through Aylesbury, is one of the River Thame’s most urban tributaries which faces challenges from plastic pollution, invasive species, and road runoff. However, this doesn’t mean the brook isn’t a vital part of the natural environment. The Bear Brook is known to be a home to wildlife such as otters, kingfishers, and little egrets. The CABB project has sought to highlight the brook’s importance and bring light to the issues it faces by enlisting the community’s help across a variety of activities. From “balsam bashing” to public outreach, the project fostered a strong sense of environmental stewardship that will benefit the brook for years to come.

One of CABB’s major achievements was tackling the spread of Himalayan balsam, a highly invasive plant that outcompetes native flora. In May and June 2024, volunteers gathered for weekly "balsam bashing" events to remove these plants before they could go to seed and spread downstream. Over 30 volunteers cleared more than 2.3 kilometres along the brook, making a significant dent in the invasive population. Many volunteers were new to conservation work, and they quickly became advocates for Bear Brook. After learning how to confidently identify Himalayan Balsam, the volunteers who lived locally and frequented the footpaths along the brook were able to help our staff find new patches of invasive plants. One resident summed up the enthusiasm well, saying, “I never knew about this invasive plant, but now that I know what it looks like, I’ll keep an eye out and pull it out where I see it!” Linking up our staff’s ecological expertise with the on-the-ground knowledge from local volunteers allowed us to clear the Himalayan balsam much more effectively.

Beyond conservation work, RTCT delivered public outreach through events like the Fairford Leys “Fair in theSquare” festival. Local residents visited the Trust’s stall where families had the chance to discover the wildlife of Bear Brook up close, examining aquatic mini-beasts and participating in art activities. The public engagement inspired both children and adults to take an interest in the brook’s health. In addition, an evening talk on the rivers in the Thame Catchment was held in collaboration with Aylesbury Town Council, educating residents on the pressures faced by rivers and how they can help. Simple actions like reducing water use, properly disposing of harmful waste and checking for plumbing misconnections are just some of the many ways that individuals can help protect our rivers.

A key success of the project was training up a new group of volunteers as Riverfly Monitors to take part in the UK-wide citizen science initiative. The training event certified ten new volunteers with the skills to monitor Bear Brook’s health by sampling aquatic macroinvertebrates—small animals that play a crucial role in freshwater ecosystems. By collecting and identifying species such as mayfly nymphs, caddisfly larvae, and freshwater shrimps, these newly trained Riverfly Monitors are able to detect changes in water quality, providing critical data on the brook’s health and helping to spot potential pollution issues early.

We will look continue the momentum the project has set in motion through supporting the now skilled-up volunteers and running similar activities.  Please get in touch if you want to be involved and keep an eye out on the Trust’s social media channels.

The project team extends a big thank you to the John Lewis Partnership Foundationfor funding CABB and to all the dedicated residents and partners making a difference along the Bear Brook. If you want to be involved with river conservation efforts in your area, consider signing up as a River Thame Conservation Trust volunteer. It’s a great way to get outside, meet new people, and become a champion for your local brook!