The Once Beautiful River Lugg in Herefordshire, England
The River Lugg flows through Wales and England before it meets the larger River Wye downstream. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including crayfish, trout, salmon, otters, and many species of birds.
Source: Wikipedia
At 63 miles long, the River Lugg has been an important part of the local ecological system for more than 1,000 years. For the past several decades, the UK Environment Agency has monitored and attended to the historic and beautiful river to ensure it continues to flow for another thousand years.
English Millionaire Destroyed 1.5 Miles of the River Lugg
In December 2020, English multimillionaire John Price took it upon himself to change the natural ecosystem of the river where it passed by his home.
Source: gov.uk
He dredged the river bed, removed the natural gravel, and cleared over a mile and a half of vegetation along the river’s edge, leaving the riverbank absolutely devastated.
Price Claimed He Was Protecting His Property from Flooding
When asked why he felt the need to destroy the ancient river, Price claimed that he was trying to protect his own and his neighbors’ properties from flooding.
Source: Freepik
However, it’s become clear that the “work” he did to the river would not have prevented any future floods; in fact, the trees he cut down and the river bed he destroyed would have far better protected the properties.
The Environment Agency Caught Price in the Act
Luckily, Price was not able to damage the river as extensively as he had planned because local agents of the Environment Agency caught him in the act.
Source: @EnvAgency/X
In addition to stopping Price from continuing his blight against the environment, the Environment Agency also took several photos that they later used when they took Price to court.
The Environment Agency Sued Price for His Destruction
When the Environment Agency took Price to court, they argued, “It is predicted it will take decades to re-establish mature trees to provide the stability, cover and shade to restore the diversity of the river.”
Source: Freepik
They also told the judge, “Fish, plants, native crayfish, and birds may take years to make a gradual return to previous populations.”
The Judge Sided With the Environmental Agency
After a lengthy trial, the judge ruled against John Price, sentencing him to a one-year stint in jail.
Source: Freepik
He was also ordered to pay £655,000 ($837,000) for restoration work and £600,000 ($766,700) in prosecution costs. Additionally, he was banned from acting as a company director for three years.
Price Only Served 11 Weeks in Jail
But since Price is reportedly worth over $25 million, these fines didn’t come close to ruining him, and he only ended up serving 11 weeks of his original sentence.
Source: Freepik
Maybe it’s because he’s a multi-millionaire or maybe it’s because he wasn’t forced to serve his entire sentence, but John Price wasn’t all that phased by his punishment. As a matter of fact, almost immediately after getting out of jail, he committed (nearly) the exact same crime again.
John Price Didn’t Learn His Lesson the First Time
Price’s second offense was slightly less offensive than his first one. That time, he only felled several 50-year-old trees along the river’s edge.
Source: Freepik
However, because Price cut down eight times more trees than is allowed in the UK, he was fined an additional £2,060 ($2,632), which is pocket change to the multimillionaire.
Environmental Lawyer Called Price’s Actions an “Egregious Act of Ecological Vandalism”
During the initial trial, Judge Ian Strongman called Price’s actions “one of the most egregious acts of ecological vandalism that I have seen in 25 years of working on rivers in the UK.”
Source: Freepik
Judge Strongman also sadly reported that the section of river that Price destroyed is now “a canal devoid of life.”
The Devastation to the River Lugg Was Shockingly Extensive
Of course, the judge wasn’t the only one to note the absolute devastation that Price caused with his callus decision. Area manager from Natural England, Emma Johnson, said in a statement: “The River Lugg is one of the most iconic rivers in the UK, and to see this wanton destruction take place was devastating.”
Natural England
Oliver Harmar, the chief operating officer at Natural England, explained, “The decimation of this section of the River Lugg has been devastating to the local environment and to local people, destroying the habitats of iconic wildlife such as otters, kingfisher and salmon. It was heartbreaking to see this beautiful riverside illegally damaged.”
No Amount of Money Will Bring the River Lugg Back to Life
The story of John Price and his destruction of the River Lugg is certainly an important lesson. No one should try to change the natural landscape of a functioning ecosystem without the assistance and approval of an environmental agency.
Source: enviornmentagency.gov.uk
But even though Price paid his fines and served his time, and hopefully, many will learn from his mistake, sadly, as conservationist Mile King explained, “no amount of money will bring the habitats and species back” to the River Lugg.