MP to introduce bill to protect UK chalk streams

A Cambridgeshire MP is to introduce a bill in parliament in a bid to protect chalk streams in the UK.

Pippa Heylings, Liberal Democrat MP for South Cambridgeshire, is expected to deliver a 10-minute bill, which if successful, would require the Government to apply to UNESCO to get chalk streams recognised as a Natural World Heritage Site.

Heylings made the announcement while at Stow cum Quy, in Cambridgeshire, where the Quy Water, a chalk stream, is located.

She hoped the protection would bring more international recognition, investment and public engagement.

According to The Wildlife Trusts, there are 200 chalk rivers known globally, with about 85% of those located in the UK.

It says chalk rivers emerge from the chalk aquifer making the water rich in minerals, allowing for diverse aquatic plants to grow and for certain fish species to live.

Heylings said the bid followed concerns which had been raised that chalk streams could dry out.

"They are like our Amazon Rainforest or our Great Barrier Reef, because we have almost all of the unique chalk streams in the world," said Heylings.

"When you are by a chalk stream knowing that these are some of the rarest habitats in the world, it just makes us so proud and makes us care."

The 10-minute rule procedure allows MPs to put the case for a bill to become law in a speech lasting no more than 10 minutes.

Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said a "huge proportion" of chalk streams were found in areas such as Cambridgeshire, but many people in the UK were unaware of how rare they were globally.

"If we have got chalk streams locally as we do here in Cambridge we should absolutely be protecting and championing them," he said.

"They are incredibly important habitats."

The bill is set to go before Parliament on 25 February.

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