Kick starting 2013 with a blog about why the Greater Thames matters to him, is Tim Webb, RSPB London’s Communications Manager:
Weekdays, my commute to and from work runs alongside the Thames and every time I’m alongside the river, the pedals turn more slowly. It’s an inspiring way to top and tail the day.
The colours of the water change, covering a range somewhere between a greenish-yellow broccoli and stilton coloured soup through to a deep brown onion consommé. At night, from my northbank cycle route, it’s a riot of colour with the illuminated buildings of the southbank reflected on its dark water.
I love the Thames, its history, its ecology and its industry. I wear my Je Thames pinbadge with pride (available from RSPB reserves along the river). What I love most about the Thames is its potential.
Its waters are part of an important migration and spawning ground for Eel, Bass, Flounder, Dover Sole and Mullet. Salmon pass through and all these fish attract cormorants and other waterbirds, right into the centre of our Capital city. High above, often too high to see, are thousands more birds using its contours to navigate their way along age-old migration routes.
The Thames is a complex eco-system that through geography and indifference we are largely excluded from; and what we don’t see, we don’t value. The river powers past both the square mile and Canary Wharf. Its currents far deeper and its ‘worth’ far greater than the noisy money markets.
The RSPB is seeking partners from along the Thames estuary to help nurture and evolve its potential. We’re already working with ports, commercial fishing interests, shipping companies, farmers, leisure users and many more to combine resources to clean-up and make the most of the river. We’re always interested in new connections, so do contact us if you can play a part in safeguarding the future of the Thames Estuary’s communities and economies.
It’s come a long way since the great stink of 1856 which often forced Parliament to be abandoned. Sewage still ends up in the Thames far too regularly but plans are in hand to address this. The river is generally far cleaner than you’d think. Already this year (2013) we’ve had sightings of common seal on the eastern edges of London; near our Rainham Marshes nature reserve at Purfleet. There are also regular sightings further upstream around the O2 Arena.
Heavy rains continue to threaten the river’s fragile ecosystem. The volume of water overwhelms drains, causing emergency overflows to release heavily polluted water and raw sewage into the Thames and its tributaries. This often ends up killing thousands of fish with a knock-on effect on other wildlife. It’s at this point that it becomes a threat to people too with unacceptable levels of e-coli bacteria and other dangers.
The Thames doesn’t need taming. It needs recognition for being an amazing resource, rich in wildlife. By working with others along the river, we can protect against flooding, generate energy, lock away carbon, transport goods and people and provide a new playground for water sports and leisure.
It’s not a crazy vision; it’s the reality we can create if we all come together for the love of the Thames.
Get in touch and let us know why the Thames is important to you...
Great blog, the Thames is such a key part of London. There are many great walks along parts of the river but for a different view, getting a boat from the city down to Greenwich is well worth it. I've seen the river improve over the last 40 years or so and I think there is no better example of this than the sight of cormorants flying over Westminster Bridge. It always gives me a spring in my step at this indicator that there are fish back in our capital's river and that with the right encouragement nature can recover.