Ecosystem restoration
River Charter for the Dart at Dartington
The UK's first River Charter was made with the input of over 1,200 local people in and around Dartington on the River Dart. The Charter's aim is be a tool to help people protect, and advocate for, the River Dart's health, biodiversity, and accessibility.
The River Charter for the Dart at Dartington gives voice to the river and its community.
The River Charter for the Dart at Dartington represents a collective vision of those who want to see the Dart "fish-able, drinkable, swim-able, paddle-able and sustainable" for generations to come. It was launched in 2019 at the Water Resilience Summit, part of BLC's Learning Journey for Resilience in South Devon.
More than a document to which people add their names in support, BLC sees this Charter as the first step in a three-part process towards citizen-led common pool resource management: 1) a charter, 2) riverkeepers who steward the river, and 3) a river council to address arising issues.
The River Charter was a pilot, developed in partnership with the Community Resilience Food & Farming Manager at the Dartington Hall Trust. It has the backing of the South Devon Catchments Partnership and the Environment Agency and aims to be a beacon in a culture of care for water. Over 1,200 local people participated in its making.
It is clear that reaching agreement on how to care for our rivers and streams is not easy–the root of the word ‘rivalry’ comes from the Latin riva for river bank. Rivers seem to generate a good deal of argument. Our Charter seeks to by-pass that by giving rights to running water rather than people. These are not legal, but moral rights. We respect all the many ways in which individuals and organisations care for their rivers. At the same time, a River Charter gives citizens and their communities a new role as stewards whose voices are heard.
We envision taking the pilot upstream and downstream to co-create a whole-river charter with the Dart’s communities, such that it becomes an advocacy tool and foundation for a catchment-based strategy and joined-up, practical activities.
This charter isn't just a document; it's a testament to our community's commitment to protecting and cherishing our waterway for generations to come. Being part of this pioneering initiative, co-creating the UK's first River Charter, reinforced my belief in the power of grassroots environmental stewardship.
