Riverfly Day 2026

Annual celebration of riverfly monitoring in Chilterns, Herts and Middlesex, including presentations and practical surveys

Come along to a day celebrating the fascinating tiny creatures that live in our rivers!

The annual conference of the Chilterns Herts and Middlesex Riverfly Hub, is open to everyone whether you are a riverfly monitor or just interested in finding out more. The CHM Riverfly Hub is a regional hub supporting the national citizen scheme run by the Riverfly Partnership, the hub is co-hosted by the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.

There will be a series of presentations with new research on riverflies and wider aquatic ecology, followed by a practical session on the beautiful Bulbourne where we will have RMI riverfly and Extended Riverfly taster sessions.

What to expect on the day:

Presentation session, 11.00-13.00

The full itinerary will be announced nearer the time but speakers will include ...

-Patrycja Meadows and Charlotte Hawkins, Environment Agency - Winterbourne and ephemeral stream monitoring

-Luis Moliner Cachazo, Natural History Museum - eDNA research

-Steve Brooks, Riverfly Partnership and NHM, and Allen Beechey, Chilterns Chalk Streams Project - Effects of climate change on riverfly

Lunch break 13.00-13.30

Practical session 13.30-15.00

Try out riverfly for the first time, refresh your skills, or advance to the next level!

We will head for a short walk from the conference venue on the Box Moor Trust land to reach the River Bulbourne where we will run RMI Riverfly and Extended Riverfly sessions. These will be suited for all abilities, and a great chance to just enjoy surveying together, or try out identifying new groups.

Venue

The Box Moor Trust Centre, London Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 2RE

The morning conference will be in the Roughdown Room, this is upstairs in the centre and will be signposted on the day.

In the afternoon, we will all walk together to the practical session location.

Getting here

Public transport:15 minutes walk from Hemel Hempstead train station.

Parking: free parking on site.

What to bring

Please bring packed lunch and clothes suitable for the practical outdoor element e.g.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

Contact us

The CHM Riverfly Hub and this day are co-hosted by the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.

Please contact chalkstreamsvolunteers@chilterns.org.uk with any questions about this event, or if you would like to find out more about riverfly.