A ten week initiative to clear unsightly litter from more than 100 miles of the rivers Lugg and Arrow was completed on Sunday 15th May, 2011.

220 volunteers from conservation organisations, government bodies, NGOs, fishing clubs, canoe groups and local councils, along with other individuals with an interest in the rivers’ ecology have collected 671 sacks of litter and other items from the riverbanks since the start of March. They also removed larger objects such as tyres, feed buckets, chairs, beds, a saddle and even a children’s swimming pool and surf board.

At a separate site, Powys County Council removed 30 tons of rubbish from a Highways Agency depot on the banks of the Lugg in Presteigne, most of which would eventually be washed downstream. Measures have now been taken to prevent the site being used as a tip in the future.

The idea came from Tony Norman, a Wye and Usk Foundation (WUF) trustee and committee member of Lugg and Arrow Fisheries Association (LAFA). A farmer who has lived and worked in the area for many years, he feels very strongly about the issue: “I hate the sight of plastic and other rubbish hanging from bank side trees. It is very encouraging that so many others agree – the support for this epic clear-up has been enormous and I would like to thank everyone who has taken part”. “It saddens me that so much of the litter is coming from farming” he added.

Stephen Marsh-Smith, director of the Wye and Usk Foundation said: “Apart from the Highways Agency site, over 60% of the litter collected in this exercise was of agricultural origin. However, litter is the visible side of farm pollution. If people can tolerate unsightly plastic waste, how much easier is it to feel comfortable about allowing toxic but invisible chemicals and other damaging substances to find their way into our rivers? We need a radical and cultural rethink in the way we value our rivers.”

Dane Broomfield of the Environment Agency added: “We are very pleased to support this initiative to highlight water/ecology quality issues in the Lugg & Arrow catchment. 71% of the River Lugg catchment currently fails the Water Framework Directive objective of 'Good Ecological Status'. Work is ongoing to address barriers to fish migration with WUF but rural diffuse pollution, primarily sedimentation, remains a key pressure impacting on the ecology. The challenge for us all is to secure a cultural change in land management practices, where the risk to the water environment is a prime consideration.”

The volunteers came from as far afield as the investment banking sector in London. Paul Udall, who works for Global Asset Management, was part of a group that removed over 100 sacks of rubbish from the Arrow. He commented: "It's a wonderful example to the rest of the country of what can be achieved with care and diligence by a dedicated charity and group of willing volunteers. My congratulations go to them all."