Feature story – Furnace Brook Farm and Fishery – Guardian Article

Read about the pollution incident from 2024 and what we are doing about it.

This morning, The Guardian published an article about the pollution of our lake at Furnace Brook, caused by upstream waste dumping, and the devastating loss of life in the water.

Read the full story here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/24/furnace-book-east-sussex-fishing-lake.

Naturally it has been a heartbreaking experience. But in the face of pollution, we are continuing to work towards a solution.

We are determined to turn this moment into an opportunity to test and develop practical models for community-led water restoration. Together with Cassandra Kiki Chafer and other restoration experts, we are implementing nature-based solutions to help clean the water and bring life back to this watercourse.

We have launched a crowdfunder to support this work: restoring the watercourse, documenting what we learn, and creating a practical playbook that other communities can use in responding to water pollution.

Please share, and if you can, contribute to our crowdfunder

Let’s show what community-led restoration can do.

And a big thanks to all of you for your support and collaboration in our efforts to bring a watercourse back to life!