I AM becoming increasingly concerned that we are badly neglecting the River Wye.

Along many stretches there is rubbish building up, it is becoming obscured by unchecked growth of trees and weeds, and nobody seems to care.

There are a few notable exceptions where residents' groups have found volunteers to clear up and look after their area, but more action is needed.

I would like to see Wycombe District Council take a more proactive approach.

The council may be very limited as far as available manpower is concerned, but they could take a positive role in co-ordinating environmental groups and volunteers to do the work, and defining where public access enables the work to be carried out.

The council could also give the idea publicity via their publications.

There has been too much of a tendency to put the river in culverts, concrete it over and forget about it so that it is never seen again.

There have been some successes in reversing this trend, but very few.

Development of the Wycombe Retail Park has exposed a section of river again, and made it a feature of the development.

However some opportunities have been missed.

For example at the new Bucks Free Press offices it had been hoped the river could be revealed again, unfortunately those hopes were not realised.

The biggest missed opportunity is, of course, the western development.

Some plans were proposed that included the river as a feature. These plans were rejected in favour of a plan where the river would remain buried under concrete.

I fear that more of the river may suffer the same fate merely for commercial gain.

The River Wye should be treated as an asset to the town, something to be cherished and cared for, not ignored, buried and forgotten about.

Don Brede, High Wycombe