Friends of the Salcombe-Kingsbridge Estuary
A community voice for the estuary and all the biodiversity it supports
The estuary is at the heart of Kingsbridge, ebbing and flowing in and out of the town with the tides and supporting a rich ecosystem. This group has emerged through our shared love of our local waterways and desire to see them thrive.
The Friends of the Salcombe-Kingsbridge Estuary (FOSKE) group will be an advocate for the estuary. It will aim to reduce pollution and increase biodiversity in the estuary and it's surrounding environment. It will find ways to engage our community and collaborate effectively to help our waterways thrive. It will bring together community voices from the many parishes that border the estuary or form its catchment.
​
Kingsbridge Climate Action have agreed to convene the group with the support of South Devon River Champions, but expect the group to evolve into an entity in its own right.
Our region of water champions
​
We are inspired by the incredible work taking place on our neighbouring waterways by community groups including:
​
​
Please explore these projects to get inspired about what we can do for the health of our estuary.
​
We need passionate people with a range of skills to get involved.
​
We are pulling together our steering group - please contact us if you are able to commit a small amount of volunteer time to help shape our plan of action at our first meeting - email kbclimateaction@gmail.com
What will the FOSKE group do?
The activity of the group will be shaped by the steering group and will aim to support the work of The Salcombe-Kingsbridge Estuary Conservation Forum - by mobilising community action on the issues that arise.
​
Some project ideas may include:
Increasing the number of volunteers monitoring water quality through the Westcountry Rivers Trust citizen science programme.
Applying for designated bathing water status at popular swimming and recreation spots on the estuary.
Increasing awareness of the chemicals we regularly put down our sinks, toilets and spray on our gardens, and how these pollute the water and harm wildlife.
Writing a charter for the estuary.
Our estuary not only supports ecosystems, provides opportunities for recreation and boosts wellbeing with its natural beauty - It is also a vital carbon sink right on our doorstep.
Salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds absorb large quantities of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it, thus decreasing the effects of global warming. Coastal blue carbon is the carbon captured by living coastal and marine organisms and stored in coastal ecosystems. (Source NOAA)
​
Find out more about biodiversity in our estuary on the South Devon AONB website.
Introduced by a drip of water, this wonderful animation interprets the natural water cycle and other important areas of aquatic science and geography. It also takes a quirky look at the dark side, taking us on a thought provoking journey through the murky depths and issues of our own waste only to surface in an engaging and brighter optimism for a healthier future full of home-grown heroes.