ERA - Eco Rother Action
We are an independent climate change response group based in the villages between Petersfield and Midhurst
We host excellent talks, carry out local environmental work and bring people together
Join us to push for positive change
In brief
-
ERA sponsored walk THIS SUNDAY
Raising funds to buy a bacteria testing kit for the River Rother
Sunday 6 April at Woolbeding, 11am
Do please come and join us. The forecast is lovely and it’s a beautiful walk along the river westwards to Stedham and back on a loop. ERA members will have received details of this by email.
If you can’t come, please think about contributing with a donation - see story below. Thank you!
-
PAST ERA TALK: Soil Smart - improving soil literacy in the Rother Valley
27 March
Kirsten Mills from the Western Sussex Rivers Trust was our in-person speaker.
Soils are fundamental to life on earth, they provide 98% of all calories consumed by humans and yet they are often forgotten. During the talk, Kirsten outlined the importance of soils and described how the Soil Smart project is working with farmers and the wider public to improve knowledge about soil health through citizen science monitoring.
Report coming up.
-
PAST EVENT: Film screening, Our Obsession with Economic Growth is Deadly
13 February
This short film presented by LSE graduate Ali Rae discusses the drivers of economic growth and the role of consumerism. Rae and her contributors argue that these contribute to climate and environmental changes, poor human health, over consumption of the planet’s finite resources and an increase in the economic divide between the global north and south. They discuss alternative economic models.
The screening was followed by a discussion.
-
Next book club book: Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish
Discussion on Zoom, 7.30pm Monday 28 April
This is a passionate book about the fashion industry, its wastefulness but also the pleasure and beauty of well made things. Read it and join our discussion - new members are warmly invited to this group! Email EcoRotherAction@outlook.com for your Zoom link.
Check out our book reviews here. You’ll find some great reading suggestions.
ERA sponsored walk this Sunday
*
ERA sponsored walk this Sunday *
Worried about E. coli in the Rother?
So are we. ERA is aiming to buy a piece of kit called a Fluidion Alert One. This will allow any of our river surveys that reveal poor results to be followed up by a check of E. coli levels. High bacterial load is bad for the river environment but also very much of interest to wild swimmers, paddle boarders and dog owners whose dogs swim in the river. As ever, significant results will be reported to the Environment Agency, allowing them to target their efforts where the need is greatest.
To help us fund this equipment we are meeting for a sponsored walk on Sunday, 6 April at 11am. Do join us! Park in the National Trust car park at the junction of Woolbeding Lane and the A272. Walk (carefully) down Woolbeding Lane, over the river and turn into the field on your left at the National Trust sign, where we will meet up. Total walk length 5k. Children welcome! Well behaved dogs on leads welcome!
Bring a picnic to enjoy by the river on our return!
If this doesn’t work for you, please make a contribution by following this gofundme link.
Environmental and community networking
ERA is happy to work closely with other like-minded local groups, including PeCAN, Mi-CAN, HartingCAN, Growing Together(formerly the East Hampshire Self Sufficiency group), Women of This Town (WOTT), Energise South Downs, Alton Climate Action Network, Community Energy South, Hangers Environmental Network, green and climate groups at local u3as – the list keeps growing.
For information about recurring and one-off events that might interest you, please click here.
Why not kick off the new year with a fresh pop-up lunch - or three - at the bright and sunny(!) Henry Warren Hall, Nyewood?
Global issue, local response
ERA relies on membership fees - £5 a year per person – and donations to fund our activities. These include buying seeds and trees, setting up a testing system on the River Rother, running costs such as village hall hire, website costs, insurance etc. We are looking for a local business or individual to sponsor this website. If that interests you, please get in touch! Your name could appear here on the home page. Alternatively, if you would like to join others who have already made a donation towards ERA projects, please contact us for bank details. Your help makes a real difference.