CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE RIVER

The Chalk streams of Wiltshire Dorset and Hampshire are as unique and as quintessential a part of the English landscape as are The Cotswolds or the Lake District.  They are a unique eco system that has been identified by the WWF as needing protection, special care and management.  They only feature, primarily, in the South of England and in some parts of Northern France.

The founding Members of The Wilton Club recognised this fragility a hundred years earlier than the WWF and because of that, have always been a proactive and pioneering Club, and often a defender against the numerous environmental developments and threats that have come along through the years. 

The status of the Wylye forms part of the Hampshire Avon Special Area of Conservation, (SAC’s) in addition to SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) status.  The Club has a very long history of sensitive and active stewardship of the river and its banks in order to promote and conserve both good fishing and wildlife habitat. This cannot be overstated.

To this end, The Wilton Club have welcomed and collaborate fully with every recognised authority and conservation body, as well as all our neighbours whose land or interests and activities impact in any way on the health of the river.

Of our River Keepers, the Club once had three consecutive generations of the Canning family from 1890 onwards.  In more recent times Norman Smith worked for the Club for thirty seven years, before Adrian Simmons, who worked on the river for seventeen years, before retiring at the end of the 2017 season.  They were all vigilant and committed guardians, not just of the river, but to all the wider components and considerations that are necessary to maintain an ecologically stable,  quality trout friendly environment.  Our current River Keeper, Dave Griffiths, comes with almost thirty years of experience as a River Keeper with experience on both Salmon and Wild Trout rivers from Scotland, through Yorkshire, Wales.  

The Wilton Clubs Keepers have only ever been full-time, living less than a minutes walk of the river bank.  The Keeper is responsible for all day to day river maintenance matters.  Our River Fly Monitoring is managed by Mr Bob Male, who has a Biological scientific background.  

The Wilton Club's involvement with the River Fly Partnership goes back to its inception.  To continue this, once a month, Bobs intrepid group meet and spend a couple of hours chatting fly fishing matters while they bend over the river water sample trays analysing the invertebrates which is later submitted to become part of the wider national database.  Members frequently comment on how taking part just a couple of times benefits their fishing days through being better able to identify river invertebrates at at various stages of their lifecycle, thus aiding their decisions when choosing which fly from their box might be the best for that day.

In the past twenty years, the club has undertaken a number of discreet habitat enhancement projects which have been successful in securing partnership funding from the Environment Agency, Natural England and the EU. 

The Wilton Club have also received Conservation Awards, and an active participant in the Wiltshire Fishery Association.  The Wilton Club played a key role in the formation of the Wessex Chalk Streams and Rivers Trust.