Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust welcomes Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council’s formal adoption of its new ‘Declaration on Rights of Rivers’ - a significant milestone that moves the borough from commitment to action in protecting its waterways.

Adopted by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday 10 March and inspired by the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Rivers, the charter sets out six fundamental rights for the borough’s rivers and streams, including its rare chalk streams: the right to flow, to perform essential functions within their ecosystems, to be free from pollution, to connect with sustainable aquifers, to native biodiversity, and to regenerate and be restored.

This formal adoption follows the landmark Full Council vote in May 2025, when councillors first committed to recognising legal rights for rivers. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust worked closely with the council to help shape the declaration, hosting a Rights of the River Forum ahead of the vote on the motion to gather community insight, and supporting its development though engagement with legal professionals.

Lorna Selby, Policy & Advocacy Officer at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “This is a powerful next step for nature in Hampshire. Last year’s motion set the ambition; this declaration begins to put that ambition into practice. We’re proud to have supported the council throughout this process and to see river rights now embedded in local decision-making. Our chalk streams are globally unique, and this approach gives them the recognition and protection they urgently need.”

The declaration commits the council to consider river rights in decisions, where possible, relating to planning, development, land use, water quality and management, and biodiversity. It also reinforces the council’s intention to work with partners, including the Trust, river groups and local communities, to monitor river health, improve water quality and advocate for stronger protections at regional and national levels.

This step is especially significant for the River Loddon and River Test headwaters, which rise in the borough. With only around 200 chalk streams in the world, and the majority found in southern England, their protection is critical.

The Trust will continue to support Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council as the declaration is put into practice, ensuring that the rights of rivers are not only recognised but actively upheld.

Details about the Save our Chalk Streams campaign, led by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, can be found here.