Robert Oates, our Deputy Chairman represented the River Thames at the Cauca River Restoration Forum in Cali, Colombia in August.

He found Cali to be a beautiful and safe city in a very friendly country. But like many cities around the world, Cali has grown fast and development has run ahead of environmental protection, with negative impacts on the river and water supplies. The regional government is now determined to rectify the situation and invited three experts from Europe to help develop solutions. One key outcome of the Forum was the main stakeholder organisations agreeing to form a ‘Cauca River Basin Technical Committee’ to plan, fund and deliver restoration projects.