River Warden Scheme
Our volunteer wardens monitor the condition of the Thames, both its banks and the water, in the tidal and non-tidal areas. Their work includes recording the condition of footpaths, banks, vegetation, fences, countryside furniture and safety equipment. They work closely with the Environment Agency and the Countryside Agency, local authorities and others to safeguard the river and its environment.
If you are interested in becoming a warden please contact:
Dr Richard Mayon-White - Non-Tidal River Warden Co-ordinator
Tel: 01865 552986
E-mail: mayon.white@ntlworld.com
or
Peter Finch - Tidal River Warden Co-ordinator
Tel: 020 8969 9941
E-mail: sailor1057@aol.com
RTS River Wardens Report
March 2008
The river warden scheme has continued well in the past year. Two new wardens have been recruited for the non-tidal Thames, but three have retired. There are five reaches without regular wardens, so there are openings for more wardens to fill the gaps and others to assist the present wardens.
The wardens continued to monitor the Thames Path, working with the National Trails Office and the London Boroughs. The floods last winter and in the summer of 2007 caused serious erosion of the tow path at Goring and worsened the erosion of the banks between Bray and Boveney locks. The river bank at Medley in Oxford is having major repairs where a boy drowned in last winter. There has been good work at cutting back willow branches where they were making navigation difficult in the narrower reaches. Litter continues to be an unpleasant feature where the river and Thames Path run through urban areas. There were no episodes of serious pollution reported last year.
Thanks to the generosity of the Panton and Waterways Trusts, it has been possible to equip wardens with new maps to improve reporting, and renew the wardens’ badges.