Help protect the River Meon

Campaign to Protect the River Meon

CPRE Hampshire members joined local residents, conservationists and anglers at a peaceful protest in Droxford on Saturday 31^st Jan 2026. The protestors were calling on Hampshire Highways and the South Downs National Park to take action to stop ‘joy-driving’ by 4×4 vehicles along a riverbed of the protected River Meon, one of Hampshire’s unique chalk stream environments.

The campaign is calling for the authorities to issue a Traffic Regulation Order to stop the reckless driving which is churning up spawning gravels, damaging river habitat and disturbing wildlife in one of England’s important chalk streams.

The River Meon is one of only around two hundred chalk streams worldwide and supports species including Atlantic salmon, brown trout, water voles and otters. The River is recognized by the government as an environmentally protected habitat, meaning public bodies are expected to prevent deterioration of the river environment.

Protest organiser, Adam Faulkner, said ‘The authorities have the powers to stop the off roaders, but so far they’ve just passed the buck. Meanwhile, wildlife suffers, the riverbed is damaged, and local residents are left watching their natural heritage being destroyed’.

Over 150 people joined the protest on Saturday and made their voices heard. CPRE Hampshire , along with many other local conservation groups will be following progress to see if highlighting this issue will be enough to make the authorities take action.

Our focus

CPRE Hampshire is supporting this campaign because we believe the River Meon’s chalk stream environment is under clear and avoidable threat. We believe urgent action is needed to protect it.

Chalk streams are extremely rare and safeguarding their fragile habitats, natural river form and water quality is essential to the health of the entire ecosystem. Continued off‑road vehicle damage is putting vulnerable species  at real risk, while years of evidence have still not prompted the authorities to meet their statutory responsibilities.

The River Meon is one of Hampshire’s most precious chalk streams – a rare ecosystem home to water voles, brown trout, otters and a rich mosaic of protected habitats. Yet despite years of clear photographic, video and expert evidence showing ongoing damage from off‑road vehicle use along a 200‑metre stretch of the river, the responsible authorities have still not taken effective action to stop it.

By standing together with local campaigners, we aim to draw public and media attention to the ongoing harm and press for the immediate, proportionate protection measures this precious landscape deserves.