3RiverCleanup - Qwag Events
QWAG ran two successful tasks this year as part of the 3RiversCleanup. The first, departing from Gilmore Road
(Click here to see slideshow), attracted 17 volunteers and collected about 25 sacks of rubbish plus pulling a small amount of Himalayan balsam. The second, departing from Manor Park
(Click here to see slideshow), attracted 21 volunteers and one radio reporter! They collected about 12 sacks of rubbish and again pulled a limited amount of Himalayan balsam. The balsam was left to compost near the Quaggy, and the rubbish was removed and picked up by Lewisham Council. You may wonder why the balsam was in short supply: it's because we keep pulling it each year. This annual plant, if not allowed to flower, naturally declines in quantity as the residual seed bank is used up. So the hard work of volunteers each year really does pay dividends in controlling this particular invasive species.
Julia Grollman (Task Leader)
For more information about 3RiversCleanup
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Quaggy Waterways Action Group
(QWAG) began life as the Friends of the Quaggy in 1990.
The group formed to fight flood alleviation
proposals for the river which would have destroyed its remaining natural sections by encasing them
in concrete channels and culverts. The group successfully proposed and championed a very different
scheme that reached completion in May 2007.
This scheme requires naturalised sections of the river and uses large open spaces beside it
for temporary water storage in times of flood. The largest of these is Sutcliffe Park (above).
Its transformation from an underused park to an urban oasis for wildlife has recently won
two prestigious awards.
Until QWAG intervened, the River Quaggy in south east London had suffered a fate typical of
urban rivers. Much of its flood plain had disappeared under the relentless growth of the suburbs.
In a vicious circle, the inevitable flooding that followed led to misguided alleviation measures
that only made the problem worse. By 1990 much of the river flowed lifelessly in concrete channels
and culverts, awaiting the seemingly inevitable coup de grace.
Since its formation, QWAG has promoted, initiated and taken part in restoration projects along the
Quaggy. In 2002 a much acclaimed naturalisation scheme broke out the river from its hedge-lined
concrete channel in Chinbrook Meadows, recreating a natural meandering stream (below).
QWAG has proved that by restoring the Quaggy we can bring wildlife, education, amenity and beauty
into the fabric of our urban environment. Our challenges now are to achieve further restoration
and protect the river from the many threats to its well-being. Why not join QWAG and help us
help the Quaggy?
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Bridges over the River Quaggy - Imprisoned or Released?
Quaggy Waterways Action Group Annual Ray Manchester Walk
Sunday September 4th 11am - 1.30pm, Meet Lewisham Bus & Rail Station
Download details
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NEW Qwag Leaflet
QWAG's new leaflet is now published.
Download as a zip document (1.9mb):
Qwag ~ Leaflet 2011
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Recent additions and updates
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Photo Gallery
Bridge over untroubled waters
Click on the photo to view a full size version
Get your photo featured on the website. Enter the
photo gallery
for further details.
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Quaggy Action
QWAG's annual newsletter is published in early July.
Download as a Word document (2.7mb):
Quaggy Action ~ Summer 2011
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Welcome to our website
News & Events
includes the latest and archived news items plus
details of meetings, walks and other events.
The River Quaggy
showcases the varied character of the river, its
restoration and the flood alleviation scheme.
About QWAG
describes QWAG's aims, how to contact us, join us
or get involved with our work.
If you have any comments on the layout or contents of the website please email
the Webmaster.
Join QWAG or make a donation
QWAG would like to thank the South East London Community Foundation
and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit for their support in making this website
possible. |
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