Sam Austin recently joined us as our new Water Champion for Parishes and Communities - here’s a short interview to find out more about Sam and the role…
What role have you come from?
I am still currently working in my old role at the River Restoration Centre (two days a week) – as well as this new role with WSRT 😊
I am one of the Science and Technical Officers, delivering training, carrying out advisory visits on rivers, completing project work and helping deliver events (e.g. Annual Networking Conference and Scientific Advances in River Restoration Conference – there are two next year!).
What will you be doing in your new role for the WSRT?
I am taking over from Louise as the new Water Champion for Parishes and Communities. The role is part of the Downs to the Sea project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
I’m looking forward to working with local parishes and community groups, building on the local knowledge and enthusiasm that already exists, to raise awareness of the pressures on our river systems and work together to improve our riverscapes and wetlands.
What are you looking forward to most of all about this new job?
I’m excited to see how working alongside local communities can bring real improvements to our local rivers. People already value these places, and when we share what’s happening beneath the surface, that care often turns into strong action.
What challenges do you think the new role will bring your way?
I’ve always enjoyed working with people, but haven’t had much experience of working with people outside of the conservation and river management industry. It will be a new experience working with local parish councils and community groups and I am incredibly excited for this new challenge!
Why did you decide to apply for this role?
Communicating and sharing knowledge about how to restore and protect our rivers is so vital. I really wanted to see if I could make a difference to my local rivers, which is why I decided to apply for the role.
Do you have a favourite river-focused memory you’d like to share?
One clear memory springs straight to mind, during a fish monitoring survey on the River Taw, Devon, we happened across a female sea lamprey on her redd. She was absolutely fascinating to watch, sucking onto large cobbles to stabilse herself in the flow. I’ve never been so close to a sea lamprey since, but I hope to see one again in the future.
Where is your top nature spot?
My favourite local nature spot, and the one I visit most regularly, is the reach of the River Rother, that runs alongside Liss Riverside Walk. I carry out riverfly surveys under one of the bridges and have found numerous species of macroinvertebrate as well as some bullheads and stone loach and have even noticed tree creepers circumnavigating the nearby trees.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy many different past times (reading, walking, swimming) and like to shake it up and try new things regularly. However, one of the long-standing activities my family and I have been involved with since moving to the area a few years ago is the Winton Players Amateur Dramatic Society. I have recently taken up Tennis at my local club in Liss which is proving to be a wonderful social activity, combined with a touch of friendly competitiveness.
Any tops tips for readers wanting to help our rivers?
Any change, however small, that we can make to our lives and routines, such as collecting grey water to water plants, switching harmful cleaning chemicals to environmentally friendly products or creating a garden pond in a bucket, is a small but meaningful win for our river ecosystems.
Imagine if everyone in our community did something small. Collectively, it could mean reduced water usage, less polluted water and more pockets of habitat for wetland species!
