Throughout 2021, BART led a number of river clean events throughout the Bristol Avon catchment. Our team and our dedicated volunteers have removed an astounding amount of rubbish, including trolleys and trampolines to TVs and car tyres! Unfortunately, a lot of these items are purposefully dumped into the river or along its banks, and other times it is blown in out of bins or from the side of roads. Whatever way litter enters into our rivers, it is crucial to remove it as physical pollution can have detrimental impacts on the wildlife under the waterline as well as those that colonise the riparian corridors. The impact of rubbish along our waterways also degrades the quality of green & blue spaces for local communities to enjoy.
Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers that joined us on our 2021 litter picking events, we have been able to remove over 150 bags of litter from our rivers and over 40 shopping trollies! The sections of river that we have cleaned can be viewed through our interactive map below, where you can also see photos and further details about the type of litter found at those locations.
We look forward to continuing to work with our volunteers throughout 2022 to conserve, protect and enhance the rivers, streams and brooks flowing throughout the Bristol Avon.
For more information on our river clean events or CSR events, please email BART’s CSR Project Manager at rozy@bristolavonriverstrust.org
