Redds are the nests of wild brown trout, which are ‘cut’ between December and March.
Recording them allows us to see whether these important native fish are declining, and also if the entire river is healthy, since brown trout are only present in good quality waterand can only successfully spawn if the gravel riverbed is clean .
Redds are visible as distinct mounds of clean gravel, usually between 1 and 3 feet long. Every two weeks, between December and March, ARK’s trained redd spotters walk their stretch of river and mark the location of each new redd on a map. At the end of each redd season a report is written and all of the redds are plotted onto a map of the whole of the Upper and Middle Kennet. This identifies the best stretches of river, and which areas may need restoration.
