Dear Friends
Welcome to our first Friends of the River Axe (FORA) e-newsletter. You are receiving this email as you expressed a wish to be included in receiving such information following your interest/attendance at an event connected with FORA. We assume, therefore, that you care. We will not bombard you with emails, but we’d like to give you an update from time to time, and to tell you about events coming up. If you don’t wish to receive emails please let us know, and we will remove you from the list.
The Axe is not dead. But she’s not thriving either. Natural England says that the River Axe is in unfavourable condition and declining - despite a decade of investment and energy to turn things around.
Who we are: Friends of the River Axe (FORA) is a community group working with others to return the Axe rivers to good health. We run a number of projects, campaigns and events across the Axe catchment. We are always looking for good folk like you to get involved, and we have numerous ways you can do so. Contact us by email: friendsoftheriveraxe@gmail.com, or follow us on facebook to find out more.
Project BEAVER (Beavers Enhancing the Axe Valley Ecosystem Restoration)
Beavers are already living in the wild nearby in the Otter catchment, and can be expected to arrive in the Axe rivers by natural dispersal in the near future. When new folk arrive it’s good to be prepared, and Project BEAVER is doing just that.
The project now in its inception, will help us shape plans by initially focusing on four principal areas - People, Land Use, Infrastructure and Habitat upon which we will open discussion and take input from experts, key stakeholders and other interested parties. The early aims of the project will be to recognise and help mitigate potential risks, reduce potential conflict, maximise ecological benefits and of course, ensure the ultimate welfare of beavers and other wildlife. More details on this will be outlined in due course.
SPEAR: SEWAGE POLLUTION ELIMINATION IN THE AXE RIVERS
This campaign - launching in 2026 - is all about SEWAGE! Human sewage makes up about 20% of the pollution problems facing our local rivers. And we think that’s too much. Look at this map to see where storm overflows are dumping untreated sewage into our rivers right now.
In 2024, Tatworth Sewage Treatment Works was amongst the worst 1% of culprits in the whole South West of England. South West Water has developed plans to reduce this pollution but many of these plans will take decades to deliver results. In the meantime we need to maintain public pressure on legislators and regulators to hold the polluters to account.
“Storm overflows were meant for emergencies. In the River Axe they have become routine — and that is a political and corporate choice.”
Do you or your friends have expertise that can help? Would you add your voice to our campaign to keep sewage pollution on the local political agenda? We invite residents, businesses, anglers, swimmers, farmers, and community groups to stand with us and demand better for our river.
Harm and Hope: The Axe Is Not Dead!
Musbury Village Hall EX13 8AJ on Monday, January 12th @ 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. Join Musbury Community Club for a talk about the Axe rivers. There is an entrance fee of £3pp.
Vicky Whitworth from Friends of the River Axe won’t pull the punches, setting out the problems the river faces. But despair is a luxury, and Vicky will also tell the tale of the heroes working hard to make things better for the Axe rivers.
The Tale of Farway Marsh
Part of FORA’s work is hands-on river restoration, and just outside Chardstock the team on the Kit Brook - which is a tributary of the River Axe - has been working with the local landowner to re-wet historic Farway Marsh. On Tuesday, February 10th in Chardstock Village Hall, EX13 7BJ, @ 7.00pm the Kit Brook River Restoration team will tell the Tale of Farway Marsh. See the fabulous Farway Marsh short film here.
Water Voles and Otters
Our riparian mammal project has been running for 12 months, and we’re always looking for volunteers to join us in surveying for water voles and otters. We operate this volunteering programme in partnership with the National Lottery funded Rivers Run Through Us project. If you would like to take part in surveys please drop us an email.
Who is FORA friends with?
FORA is a member of the East Devon Catchment Partnership and the Triple Axe Forum which is the improvement plan for the Axe catchment. FORA sits on the project board for the Rivers Run Through Us National Lottery funded project, and works with the three National Landscapes which surround the River Axe. FORA is also a member of CAG Devon. Any friend of the river is a friend of ours.