Wessex Water Guardians

Funded by Wessex Water and co-ordinated by Dorset Wildlife Trust, the project is designed to improve the water environment of Dorset by recruiting and training teams of local volunteers as Water Guardians to monitor watercourses, identify possible pollution incidents and report them to Wessex Water for further investigation. Water Guardians will be additional eyes and ears on the ground, playing an essential role in both maintaining the health of their local river, and improving the quality of the habitat for wildlife, As well as monitoring pollution to improve water quality, volunteers can also help with recording wildlife sightings and organising local engagement events.

Initially the project will focus on higher risk areas such as the Corfe, Lodden, Shreen, Stour, Simene, Brit, Asker, Mangerton, and Hooke river catchments as well as stretches of rivers near Wessex Water assets, pollution hotspots and environmental areas of interest and importance. The county has one of the highest proportions of conservation areas in England and much of the county drains into three rivers: the Frome, Piddle and Stour (which originate from chalk streams or clay soil). Our ambition is to expand the project so we’re keen to hear from people across Dorset who live near and love their rivers.

Everyone is welcome to join the volunteering team - you can take part as an individual, a couple, as a family or community group and we encourage people of all ages and from all walks of life to get involved. If you love walking along your local river and would like to help protect the health and biodiversity of freshwater habitats, why not be a Water Guardian?

Water Guardians offers a flexible volunteering opportunity which can be fitted in whenever it is convenient. We are looking for local people to walk their stretch of river on their own or with family or friends at least once a month. We will provide training for volunteers so that they know how to monitor rivers for signs of pollution using a range of methods and how to report the incidents back to us. In addition, volunteers can help by recording wildlife or helping to organise local engagement events. This is an opportunity to have a real impact in your local community and environment, whilst learning more about freshwater ecology and environmental health.