Supporting chalk stream river protection

9th April, 2025

I have shown my support for protecting chalk streams by signing Early Day Motion 1077, Chalk stream river protection.

According to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, “The majority of the world’s chalk streams – around 85% – are found in England, and approximately 10% of these are found in Norfolk, which makes the county globally important for this rare habitat. Of the 220+ chalk streams found in England, only 11 of these have any legal protections.”

This motion recognises the crucial role of chalk stream rivers in ensuring water security and supporting local ecosystems, and calls on the Government to recognise the ecological distinctiveness of chalk streams and implement specific protections to preserve them, as these irreplaceable ecosystems are at risk of disappearing without urgent intervention.

The full text reads:

“That this House recognises the crucial role of chalk stream rivers in ensuring water security and supporting local ecosystems; acknowledges the significant threats faced by chalk stream rivers, including over-abstraction, wastewater pollution, sewage dumping, and urban development; notes with concern that, without action, incidents of water scarcity and ecological degradation in these unique waterways will increase due to ongoing environmental harm; further notes that in 2024 there was more than 975 hours’ worth of sewage pumped into the river Loddon and the river Whitewater, two chalk stream rivers that run through North East Hampshire; and calls on the Government to recognise the ecological distinctiveness of chalk streams and implement specific protections to preserve them, as these irreplaceable ecosystems are at risk of disappearing without urgent intervention.”