Benson Brook / Ewelme Stream
A rare chalk stream
There are only 210 chalk streams in the world, of which 160 are in England and at around 2.5 miles the Ewelme Stream (or Benson Brook) is the shortest chalk stream in the Chilterns. We are privileged to have one of these globally endangered and important wildlife assets flowing through our villages.
The brook brings a spine of natural beauty right into the village, and connects up with our nearest Lower Nature Reserve, the Watercress Beds in Ewelme.
The brook is important for wildlife with some of the birds including kingfisher, grey wagtail, grey heron and little egret. Brown trout and bullhead can be seen if you look carefully. Water voles have been recorded in the past but less welcome news is that non-native signal crayfish are present.
The lower reaches of the brook flow through Benson’s most important area of semi-natural habitat, the area around Cuckoo Pen and Millbrook Mead.
What We Do
We monitor riverflies on the brook regularly. This in turn helps monitor the health of the watercourse. We would be delighted to show you the ropes.
We welcome sightings from the brook to add to our knowledge. Do get in touch if you have the skills to help us build our knowledge.
We involve villagers
Watercourses like the brook are very sensitive to pollution, so we encourage villagers to be careful about the products used in gardens and how they are disposed of.
We care for the banks and encourage anyone who is lucky enough to live alongside the brook to leave 1 metre of natural margin alongside the brook, giving creatures and plant life space to grow naturally.
