Citizen science, and my first experience using FreshWater Watch's water quality kit on the Little Ouse river

This part of the River Lark has until recently been rather empty of vegetation and until the last inundation of rain, there was a slimy covering on the river bed stones. Now only a few weeks later it is looking really vibrant and the watercress on the edge of the river bank has created a great habitat - Dace were swimming as we sampled, and "clouds" of damselflies and dragonflies darting about.

Today was avery interesting day as I was able to give a presentation of Fresh Water Watch and then after the training video and quiz, provided practical training of Rob Martyr. Rob is the newly appointed Conservation Manager to the Little Ouse Headwaters Project. Rob will be recruiting further volunteers and potentially monitoring five+ sites on this ecologically important wetland conservation area. Upstream and adjacent are Alder Carr wetland woods, reed beds and grazing areas which are under great threat in this wonderful area of boarderland between Norfolk and Suffolk.