Scope of the project

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These are just some of the perspectives on water that you may want to research, share information about, make the focus of an event, a petition, or more. If you’d like to add your name and special interest to this project webpage please email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com 

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• The River Stour or River Nadder catchment areas, their communities, land use & water quality. 

• Our domestic water use 

• Water companies 

• Pollutants including nitrates, phosphates, lead, plastic & sewage. 

• Understanding ocean ecology, whales in the ecosystem, carbon capture potential (‘blue carbon’) including planting in coastal waters. Although 70% of the world's surface is covered in ocean, it is the least funded of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (<1% of philanthropic funding).

• Note that through a connection with Surfers Against Sewage organisation some of us have worked with the town council towards Shaftesbury becoming a (single use) Plastic Free Town (there is a separate project page)

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Current activity

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Discussions in late 2021: Beth Lewis suggested an early summer ‘pilgrimage’ connecting communities along River Stour – building on experience gained during the XR Shaftesbury pilgrimage in September 2019 to highlight oil extraction near Studland (described on the website here). The possible 2022 pilgrimage has been pencilled into our year planner for May/June.

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Previous activity:

1. Shaftesbury Red Rebels drew attention to river water quality issues in December 2020 with a haunting protest on the River Stour.  The event was reported by This is Alfred 20th December 2020 at 16.35, https://thisisalfred.com/podcast/the-alfred-daily-20th-december-2020/ )

2. Pre-dating Planet Shaftesbury, Common Ground led a 3 year Confluence project, creating new music for the River Stour - from Stourhead to Christchurch. Karen Wimhurst was composer in residence. All sorts of music was composed and performed by people living in the towns and villages along the river, new choirs formed.