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Alumna's work protecting endangered species highlighted on TV

Posted Yesterday

Sophie Bloor at the Linley site - picture by Katie Jones, Severn Rivers Trust: Linley site shots courtesy of Otis Ferry

The work of a Harper Adams Countryside Management student in protecting an endangered species in Shropshire’s waterways has been featured on BBC Television.

In a recent programme, BBC One’s Countryfile profiled the work of people in the county who are helping to care for the Atlantic Salmon.

The fish use the county’s streams and rivers to breed, and talked to different people in the region about the ways their work protects them.

Among those who the presenters spoke to was BSc (Hons) Countryside Management graduate Sophie Bloor, who is Catchment Restoration Officer for the .

Presenter Sammi Kinghorn met with Sophie at a site she is working on at Linley Estate, on the edge of the Shopshire Hills.

Explaining the project, Sophie said: “It started off as an agricultural ditch, and we took it out of the ditch, wiggled it down the field through a series of pools, and it’s created a really nice wetland habitat.

“Instead of going straight down the field, it’s in a nice wiggly, meandering channel – and then we’ll plant some trees around it and stabilise the banks.

“It looks a little raw now, but give it two years, and it will look amazing! It will look like it’s always been there.”

Explaining more about the plans after the show screened, Sophie added: “It will create more habitat within the channel – so you get these areas of deeper water and shallower water – and it will also slow the flow of the water as well.

“If you think of a really straight channel, the water is just going to flow down there super quick like a drainpipe – whereas if it’s wiggly, if it’s got to go round the corners, in deeper and shallower pools and natural gravel deposits in the stream will slow it down too.

"It takes the energy out of it – which then improves the habitat further downstream for the salmon. The less energy that’s coming down the stream means there’s less chance of washing out the salmon redds, which are the nests where the fish spawn.

“Not only are we improving the habitat for the salmon downstream, we’ve also made a really nice wetland that will support breeding and overwintering waders. It will be planted with scrub species as well which will provide habitat for bird species like Yellowhammer and Linnet.”

Ultimately, as Sophie told Sammi onscreen:  “I think rivers are the lifeblood of the countryside – they’re your habitat corridors, the health of the river can show the health of the whole landscape – so it’s that key focal point of where we should be enhancing and restoring habitat, improving it.

“We know that nature’s in decline – so the more we can do to help it and give it a supporting hand the better, really!”

Speaking afterwards about her starring role, Sophie added: “It was really strange watching myself on the TV – I nearly hid behind the sofa!

“I hadn’t seen any previews before it aired and after four takes, three hours, a site tour and many different questions, I really had no idea what I was about to watch.

“It turned out alright though, and most importantly got Severn Rivers Trust’s message across about the work that we do and how it impacts the Salmon as well as other wildlife.”

Looking back at her time at University, Sophie believes the support she received – particularly around her placement year – helped her secure her first role in industry.

She added: “I enjoyed my time at Harper, although I’d be lying if I didn’t say final year was hard!

“It was a really close-knit community where everyone really does know everyone.

“It helped boost my confidence, expand my knowledge and the placement year was perfect for getting some on the ground experience within the sector - and led to a position as a Ranger at Dudmaston Hall before I’d officially graduated.

“Without a placement year, I think I’d have found it much harder to get a job in the countryside industry.”

Sophie grew up on a smallholding not far from Worthen, and in her current role with the Severn Rivers Trust, works with farmers in the Upper Teme river catchment on habitat enhancement and restoration projects. 

Having known even before beginning her studies at Harper Adams she wanted to boost nature recovery and improve climate resilience, it has proved a perfect fit for her.

She added: “I’m very passionate about this role and opportunity to combine my agricultural background with my ecological knowledge to deliver nature-based solutions across the catchment.

“I also support colleagues to deliver an innovative demonstrator project in the Rea Brook.

“I’m helping improve water quality and biodiversity within the catchment and subsequently creating and restoring new habitats – I love what I do and feel like I’m doing my bit to tip nature into recovery.”