Save our chalk streams

What are chalk streams?

Chalk streams are an ecologically significant freshwater habitat and are globally rare. England holds approximately 85% of the global total with the majority of those dotted around the south, including in Kent. The hydrology of chalk streams means that they are not fed by surface water run-off. Instead, water emerges from chalk aquifers which results in it being rich in minerals and leaves it at a relatively constant temperature throughout the year. This hydrology, together with gravel beds formed during the last ice age, allows for a diverse array of plant life and supports critically endangered and nationally scarce invertebrate and fish species. The floodplains to chalk streams also sequester and store carbon as well as providing habitat for a range of wetland bird species.

Do our chalk streams need protecting?

Due to the unique ecosystems they support, their global rarity, and the difficulties with restoration, chalk streams and their riparian habitats should be considered an irreplaceable habitat. The existence of chalk streams in England should be celebrated but most have no legal protection and are at threat, particularly from agricultural runoff, climate change, and built development.

How can planning reform protect our chalk streams?

Some chalk streams have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), but this approach has not been a sufficient way of protecting those chalk streams which are heavily influenced by activities across their catchments. Appropriate planning reform can safeguard all chalk streams and give them a chance to recover.

We are calling for bespoke protection for our chalk streams, as outlined by the CaBA Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy.

Measures must include:

• A minimum no development buffer of 50 metres as recommended by Natural England.
• The addition of chalk streams and their catchments to the list of irreplaceable habitats, alongside ancient woodland, within national planning policy and guidance with stronger wording to protect chalk streams.
• Parallel investment in water supply and treatment infrastructure as a condition of planning approval.

How can I help to save our chalk streams?

You can write to your local councillor or MP to share your concerns. Below are suggested points that you may wish to raise however the most effective way of communicating how important chalk streams are to you is to use your own words.

• England is home to the majority of the world’s chalk streams which makes the country globally important for this rare habitat.
• Despite their ecological value, chalk streams are exceptionally vulnerable to pollution, over-abstraction, and habitat degradation.
• Water quality in chalk streams across the UK continues to worsen, with detrimental impacts for wildlife.
• The opportunity of planning reforms should be used to designate chalk streams and their catchments with a bespoke protection.

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What are Kent Wildlife Trust doing? 

Here at Kent Wildlife Trust the Planning and Policy Team have been raising awareness around the irreplaceable nature of chalk streams by feeding into planning applications and local plan consultations where developments threaten the health of this rare freshwater ecosystem. The team have also been part of The Wildlife Trusts movement to push for stronger protections for chalk steams from the government as part of their planning reforms.