Alistair Whitby
@alistairwhitby.bsky.social
River & wetland habitat restoration, chalk streams, & community engagement with the Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust. Into regenerative growing, rewilding, good books & generally being outdoors!
Started the hedge planting season with a bang getting over 600 mixed, native, deciduous trees into the ground with our amazing @ouseadurrt.bsky.social volunteers 😀 🙌
A great new wetland given a fab upgrade with bit of hedge habitat 🌳💦💪
A great new wetland given a fab upgrade with bit of hedge habitat 🌳💦💪
November 24, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Started the hedge planting season with a bang getting over 600 mixed, native, deciduous trees into the ground with our amazing @ouseadurrt.bsky.social volunteers 😀 🙌
A great new wetland given a fab upgrade with bit of hedge habitat 🌳💦💪
A great new wetland given a fab upgrade with bit of hedge habitat 🌳💦💪
A scorching but successful week of river remeandering. Four new berms completed 🙌 💦🐟
Huge thanks to our awesome volunteers, who've gone above and beyond the call of duty!💪🔥💪
So gratifying to see Kingfishers visiting the newly enhanced sections every day! 🐦
Huge thanks to our awesome volunteers, who've gone above and beyond the call of duty!💪🔥💪
So gratifying to see Kingfishers visiting the newly enhanced sections every day! 🐦
August 15, 2025 at 4:55 PM
A scorching but successful week of river remeandering. Four new berms completed 🙌 💦🐟
Huge thanks to our awesome volunteers, who've gone above and beyond the call of duty!💪🔥💪
So gratifying to see Kingfishers visiting the newly enhanced sections every day! 🐦
Huge thanks to our awesome volunteers, who've gone above and beyond the call of duty!💪🔥💪
So gratifying to see Kingfishers visiting the newly enhanced sections every day! 🐦
This spring has been a proper wildlife adventure
May 27, 2025 at 9:17 PM
This spring has been a proper wildlife adventure
Another week of lovely nature and wildlife encounters while out restoring Sussex rivers.
This was the longest slow worm I've ever seen!
#wildlife
This was the longest slow worm I've ever seen!
#wildlife
May 11, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Another week of lovely nature and wildlife encounters while out restoring Sussex rivers.
This was the longest slow worm I've ever seen!
#wildlife
This was the longest slow worm I've ever seen!
#wildlife
It's been a lovely week in the Sussex countryside doing river and wetland work and enjoying the stunning #bluebells!
May 2, 2025 at 4:31 PM
It's been a lovely week in the Sussex countryside doing river and wetland work and enjoying the stunning #bluebells!
Spring is well and truly getting underway at our restored EPIC chalk stream site. Exciting to see Snake's head fritillary and cowslips up.
Our reptile survey setup was rewarded with slow worm sightings. The brook is looking great with ramshorns, starwort, blue water speedwell & newts aplenty!
Our reptile survey setup was rewarded with slow worm sightings. The brook is looking great with ramshorns, starwort, blue water speedwell & newts aplenty!
April 13, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Spring is well and truly getting underway at our restored EPIC chalk stream site. Exciting to see Snake's head fritillary and cowslips up.
Our reptile survey setup was rewarded with slow worm sightings. The brook is looking great with ramshorns, starwort, blue water speedwell & newts aplenty!
Our reptile survey setup was rewarded with slow worm sightings. The brook is looking great with ramshorns, starwort, blue water speedwell & newts aplenty!
Baffles, berms & backwaters!
Fantastic day spent with @seriverstrust.bsky.social sharing experience on their Chamber Mead wetlands and Hogsmill river projects!💧💪
Some great learning on dead hedges, rock ramp fish passes, and stream restoration 🐟💦👌
Fantastic day spent with @seriverstrust.bsky.social sharing experience on their Chamber Mead wetlands and Hogsmill river projects!💧💪
Some great learning on dead hedges, rock ramp fish passes, and stream restoration 🐟💦👌
April 9, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Baffles, berms & backwaters!
Fantastic day spent with @seriverstrust.bsky.social sharing experience on their Chamber Mead wetlands and Hogsmill river projects!💧💪
Some great learning on dead hedges, rock ramp fish passes, and stream restoration 🐟💦👌
Fantastic day spent with @seriverstrust.bsky.social sharing experience on their Chamber Mead wetlands and Hogsmill river projects!💧💪
Some great learning on dead hedges, rock ramp fish passes, and stream restoration 🐟💦👌
Very exciting to revisit berms we installed in the autumn on the Teville stream & find 12 inches of accumulated sediment. Some have even started sprouting native marginal plants! 💧🌱💪
Moorhen, kingfisher, stickleback & early damselfly all using the rewiggled habitat!
#MakeRiversBendAgain
Moorhen, kingfisher, stickleback & early damselfly all using the rewiggled habitat!
#MakeRiversBendAgain
April 4, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Very exciting to revisit berms we installed in the autumn on the Teville stream & find 12 inches of accumulated sediment. Some have even started sprouting native marginal plants! 💧🌱💪
Moorhen, kingfisher, stickleback & early damselfly all using the rewiggled habitat!
#MakeRiversBendAgain
Moorhen, kingfisher, stickleback & early damselfly all using the rewiggled habitat!
#MakeRiversBendAgain
Really fun making a community wildlife pond with legendary wetland creator 'Pete the pond' last weekend. 🐸 💧🌱
So many good tips 👌
So many good tips 👌
April 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Really fun making a community wildlife pond with legendary wetland creator 'Pete the pond' last weekend. 🐸 💧🌱
So many good tips 👌
So many good tips 👌
Great to see our urban wetlands in Ringmer looking great in the spring sunshine. Heron and ducks feeding and lots of native wetland plants on show.
April 3, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Great to see our urban wetlands in Ringmer looking great in the spring sunshine. Heron and ducks feeding and lots of native wetland plants on show.
Heading into the weekend like this gorgeous grass snake! 🐍
Seen at our Cockshut wetland as we were setting up... this year's reptile survey!
Seen at our Cockshut wetland as we were setting up... this year's reptile survey!
March 28, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Heading into the weekend like this gorgeous grass snake! 🐍
Seen at our Cockshut wetland as we were setting up... this year's reptile survey!
Seen at our Cockshut wetland as we were setting up... this year's reptile survey!
Out in force today for a very productive session with OART & Environment Agency volunteers making swales and leaky barriers in woodland above Newhaven.
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
March 17, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Out in force today for a very productive session with OART & Environment Agency volunteers making swales and leaky barriers in woodland above Newhaven.
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
Beautiful day for a River Ranger session. Worked on clearing bullrush, sedge, and common reeds in the channel, managing bramble next to a wildlife pond and removing spent rabbit guards! 🌞🐟🌱
Very excited to find lots of tadpoles and frogspawn in the scrapes, ponds, and stream 🐸
Very excited to find lots of tadpoles and frogspawn in the scrapes, ponds, and stream 🐸
March 16, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Beautiful day for a River Ranger session. Worked on clearing bullrush, sedge, and common reeds in the channel, managing bramble next to a wildlife pond and removing spent rabbit guards! 🌞🐟🌱
Very excited to find lots of tadpoles and frogspawn in the scrapes, ponds, and stream 🐸
Very excited to find lots of tadpoles and frogspawn in the scrapes, ponds, and stream 🐸
Very productive day with the Environment Agency, making swales and leaky barriers in woodland above Newhaven.
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
March 4, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Very productive day with the Environment Agency, making swales and leaky barriers in woodland above Newhaven.
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
All helping to #slowtheflow and reduce flood risk.
#StoringTheStorm
One of my favourite recent wildlife encounters is this stunning #SeaTrout in one of our precious Sussex chalkstreams.
#WorldWildlifeDay
#WorldWildlifeDay
March 3, 2025 at 10:24 PM
One of my favourite recent wildlife encounters is this stunning #SeaTrout in one of our precious Sussex chalkstreams.
#WorldWildlifeDay
#WorldWildlifeDay
Fantastic to be part of two packed events kicking off the Lewes Winterbourne Festival
Yesterday's launch event looking our 5 year restoration plan was well received, & today 36 people turned up for a fab stream litter pick!
Up next: Pure Clean Water screens Wed 5th March at the Lewes Depot 🚰
Yesterday's launch event looking our 5 year restoration plan was well received, & today 36 people turned up for a fab stream litter pick!
Up next: Pure Clean Water screens Wed 5th March at the Lewes Depot 🚰
March 2, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Fantastic to be part of two packed events kicking off the Lewes Winterbourne Festival
Yesterday's launch event looking our 5 year restoration plan was well received, & today 36 people turned up for a fab stream litter pick!
Up next: Pure Clean Water screens Wed 5th March at the Lewes Depot 🚰
Yesterday's launch event looking our 5 year restoration plan was well received, & today 36 people turned up for a fab stream litter pick!
Up next: Pure Clean Water screens Wed 5th March at the Lewes Depot 🚰
The wild garlic is up, frogspawn is in the ponds, hazel catkins & flowers are on display, and the bluebell leaves are pushing through the forest floor.
Spring is springing, folks! If you're reading this, it's very likely you survived another winter. Huzzah!
Spring is springing, folks! If you're reading this, it's very likely you survived another winter. Huzzah!
February 27, 2025 at 12:13 PM
The wild garlic is up, frogspawn is in the ponds, hazel catkins & flowers are on display, and the bluebell leaves are pushing through the forest floor.
Spring is springing, folks! If you're reading this, it's very likely you survived another winter. Huzzah!
Spring is springing, folks! If you're reading this, it's very likely you survived another winter. Huzzah!
There's a vibrant week long programme of events looking at the Lewes Winterbourne chalkstream starting this weekend.
We'll be talking about the challenges facing the Winterbourne & restoring it, benefiting both communities & wildlife
Full programme:
loveourouse.org/winterbourne...
We'll be talking about the challenges facing the Winterbourne & restoring it, benefiting both communities & wildlife
Full programme:
loveourouse.org/winterbourne...
February 26, 2025 at 9:01 AM
There's a vibrant week long programme of events looking at the Lewes Winterbourne chalkstream starting this weekend.
We'll be talking about the challenges facing the Winterbourne & restoring it, benefiting both communities & wildlife
Full programme:
loveourouse.org/winterbourne...
We'll be talking about the challenges facing the Winterbourne & restoring it, benefiting both communities & wildlife
Full programme:
loveourouse.org/winterbourne...
It takes a special kind of bravery (or madness!) to spend a freezing February day jumping into rivers & riding rapids. All in the name of river safety. 💦🚑
Throw lines were caught, obstacles navigated, and eddies gave refuge. Well done OART team! May your toes eventually gain feeling again! 🥶
Throw lines were caught, obstacles navigated, and eddies gave refuge. Well done OART team! May your toes eventually gain feeling again! 🥶
February 12, 2025 at 5:54 PM
It takes a special kind of bravery (or madness!) to spend a freezing February day jumping into rivers & riding rapids. All in the name of river safety. 💦🚑
Throw lines were caught, obstacles navigated, and eddies gave refuge. Well done OART team! May your toes eventually gain feeling again! 🥶
Throw lines were caught, obstacles navigated, and eddies gave refuge. Well done OART team! May your toes eventually gain feeling again! 🥶
Happy to be spending time around streams & rivers already this year. There's always stuff to learn...
#rivers #restoration
#rivers #restoration
January 30, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Happy to be spending time around streams & rivers already this year. There's always stuff to learn...
#rivers #restoration
#rivers #restoration
Kicked off a great first River Ranger session of 2025 today with 4 harvest mouse nests, Snipe, & Water rail!🐦 🐭
🚜 Bridge access cleared
🐇 Old rabbit guards removed
🥀Bramble & vegetation cleared from channel/pond margins
Stream flowing well with new starwort & watercress 🌱💦
🚜 Bridge access cleared
🐇 Old rabbit guards removed
🥀Bramble & vegetation cleared from channel/pond margins
Stream flowing well with new starwort & watercress 🌱💦
January 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Kicked off a great first River Ranger session of 2025 today with 4 harvest mouse nests, Snipe, & Water rail!🐦 🐭
🚜 Bridge access cleared
🐇 Old rabbit guards removed
🥀Bramble & vegetation cleared from channel/pond margins
Stream flowing well with new starwort & watercress 🌱💦
🚜 Bridge access cleared
🐇 Old rabbit guards removed
🥀Bramble & vegetation cleared from channel/pond margins
Stream flowing well with new starwort & watercress 🌱💦
Christmas holidays are giving me a chance to relax and remember a summer of wetland surveys and habitat work 🦆💦🐟🌱
December 20, 2024 at 5:10 PM
Christmas holidays are giving me a chance to relax and remember a summer of wetland surveys and habitat work 🦆💦🐟🌱
Fantastic to have 20 Brighton Uni students out at one of our sites today, learning about chalk streams, river restoration & practical habitat management 😀🦆🐟👍
Loads of bramble cleared & reeds cut. The broadwater brook is looking great after all the recent rain 💦🌱💪
Loads of bramble cleared & reeds cut. The broadwater brook is looking great after all the recent rain 💦🌱💪
December 10, 2024 at 6:09 PM
Fantastic to have 20 Brighton Uni students out at one of our sites today, learning about chalk streams, river restoration & practical habitat management 😀🦆🐟👍
Loads of bramble cleared & reeds cut. The broadwater brook is looking great after all the recent rain 💦🌱💪
Loads of bramble cleared & reeds cut. The broadwater brook is looking great after all the recent rain 💦🌱💪
These hinged trees and diverters created this summer will be busy re-meandering the river, reinstating natural processes, creating more habitat for freshwater species, slowing & diversifying the flow & oxygenating the water
#RiverRestoration @theriverstrust.bsky.social
#RiverRestoration @theriverstrust.bsky.social
December 5, 2024 at 9:53 PM
These hinged trees and diverters created this summer will be busy re-meandering the river, reinstating natural processes, creating more habitat for freshwater species, slowing & diversifying the flow & oxygenating the water
#RiverRestoration @theriverstrust.bsky.social
#RiverRestoration @theriverstrust.bsky.social
December 4, 2024 at 10:03 PM