The Rivers Trust Review 2019 - where there's water, there's life
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The Rivers Trust Review 2019 the umbrella body of the rivers trust movement where there’s water, there’s life
Contents
4 -5 Introduction to The Rivers Trust
6-7 Our member Trusts
8-9 Our impact - at a glance
10-11 Saving our soils for a sustainable future
12-13 Building bridges between business, water, wildlife and society
14-15 Rivers Trusts taking on plastic pollution
16-17 Rivers Trusts in Ireland
18-19 Working in partnership to protect and enhance our Natural Capital
20-21 Health and safety, and taking an evidence-led approach
22-23 Looking ahead
© Glen Minikin / Daily Mail
2 3
Welcome to The Rivers
Where there’s water, Trust Review 2019
there’s life Although this will be my last year in the role
of Rivers Trust CEO, after handing over to my
2019 marks two notable anniversaries! It’s 25
Healthy rivers are essential to human life. They successor Mark Lloyd in September, I shall
years of the Rivers Trust movement and 15
provide us with drinking water, they feed our crops, continue to provide policy and project support
they are a home to important species of wildlife, years since the formation of The Rivers Trust,
to the Trust on a part time basis and continue
they provide recreational spaces for our health and as its umbrella body!
to Chair the Catchment Based Approach
wellbeing. (CaBA) National Support Group.
It’s generally acknowledged that the Rivers
Yet, only 14% of rivers are at good ecological status Trust movement began with the establishment
We face serious challenges including climate
and freshwater species have declined by 83% since of Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) in 1994, who
1970 – faster than any other type of nature. change, population growth, plastics and
this year, are celebrating their 25th Birthday.
other persistent pollutants together with
Although the Tweed Foundation and West
habitat loss, all affecting water, soils and air
Galloway Fisheries Trust were already active
quality. However, we also have new funding
in Scotland at this time, they had a specific
Together with our 62 local member mechanisms and opportunities opening
fisheries focus and operated under Scottish
Rivers Trusts, we are the only collective of up to us through working with corporate
law. Westcountry’s first task was to set the
environmental charities in the UK and Ireland, partners including Water Companies and the
precedent for a charitable Rivers Trust with
dedicated to protecting and improving river Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.
the Charity Commission for England and
environments for the benefit of people and Wales, embracing the concept of education,
wildlife. Thank you to all Rivers Trusts for contributing
ecosystems and river catchments.
to this Review, it is a real testimony to the
brilliant work being carried out across the UK
As someone who was engaged as CEO at the
and Ireland - I salute you all!
very beginning of both WRT and The Rivers
Trust, I too am celebrating this anniversary
Very Best Wishes,
and a movement that now has over 60 Trusts,
employing around 300 technical professionals.
I am continually amazed and humbled by the
extraordinary work and dedication shown by
our member Trusts, their brilliant staff and Arlin Rickard,
volunteers; it has indeed been a great privilege The Rivers Trust CEO
to serve and represent you all. August 2018
4 5
Our member Trusts
1 Tweed Forum and Tweed Foundation 31 River Nene Regional Park CIC
2 Galloway Fisheries Trust 32 Welland Rivers Trust
3 Galloway Fisheries Trust 33 Norfolk Rivers Trust
4 Northumberland Rivers Trust 34 Cambridgeshire Acre
5 Tyne Rivers Trust 35 River Waveney Trust
6 West Cumbria Rivers Trust 36 Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust
7 Eden Rivers Trust 37 River Thame Conservation Trust
8 South Cumbria Rivers Trust 38 Thames 21
9 Lune Rivers Trust 39 Thames Rivers Trust
10 Wear Rivers Trust 40 Action For River Kennet
48 1 1
47 4
3 11 Tees Rivers Trust 41 Wessex Chalk Stream and Rivers Trust
2 12 Yorkshire Esk Rivers Trust 42 South East Rivers Trust
5
50 7 10 13 Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust 43 Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust
52 6 11 12
44 Arun and Rother Rivers Trust
51 14 Mersey Rivers Trust
53 8
13 15 Wyre Rivers Trust 45 Bristol Avon Rivers Trust
54 9 20
55 16 16 Ribble Rivers Trust 46 Westcountry Rivers Trust
15 17
49 17 47 Ballinderry Rivers Trust
19 18 Aire Rivers Trust
14 21 18 Calder Rivers Trust 48 Inishowen Rivers Trust
25 26 32 19 Irwell Rivers Trust 49 Lough Carra Catchment Association
63 57 24 22
56 20 East Yorkshire Rivers Trust 50 Six Mile Rivers Trust
23 33
62 35
58 34 21 Don Catchment Rivers Trust 51 Lagan Rivers Trust
31
59 27 22 Trent Rivers Trust 52 Strule Tributaries Rivers Trust
60 28 36
30 23 Severn Rivers Trust 53 River Blackwater Catchment Trust
29 38 & 39 37 24 Welsh Dee Rivers Trust 54 Erne Rivers Trust
61 45 40
25 Glwyd, Conwy and Gwynedd Rivers Trust 55 River Moy Trust
42
41 26 Lincolnshire Rivers Trust 56 Nore Rivers Trust
46 44 43
27 Wye and Usk Foundation 57 East Wicklow Rivers Trust
28 West Wales Rivers Trust 58 Maigue Rivers Trust
29 South East Wales Rivers Trust 59 Blackwater Rivers Trust
30 Cotswolds Rivers Trust 60 Waterville Lakes and Rivers Trust
61 Bandon Rivers Trust
62 Slaney Rivers Trust
6 7
63 Galway Waterways Foundation
Impact from Rivers Trusts across UK*
created or
restored
Completed
46
SUDs or rain
Opened 73 wetlands
garden
projects 227,787
up
323km
of river to fish
trees planted
passage
Engaged
82 fish barriers
eased,
passed or
414
with Worked with
593
removed
12,821 Worked on pollution incidents &
1081
schools
volunteers water quality
who delivered
improvements
11,760 farms addressed
volunteer-days
561km
Assisted of river habitat
556 river clean ups 128
communities at
improved
risk of flooding
*35 Trusts surveyed in 2018.
8 9
Saving our soils for a Improving farming practices without breaking
sustainable future the bank
The Rivers Trust Chief Executive, Arlin Rickard, In response to the launch of the soils report,
We are losing soil at a faster rate than it is commented: Michael Gove, Secretary of State, paid a visit to
being created. It is estimated that 2.9 million a farm where the Wye and Usk Foundation are
tonnes of soil are lost from fields in England “This report sets out in stark terms the reality on working with the farmer to improve agricultural
and Wales every year. many farms, together with environmental failings practices, without adversely affecting farm income.
under the current system. In the future we must
properly support our farmers with the guidance, The Trust was able to show the Minister the good
When it rains, degraded soil washes down into field incentives and funding necessary, not only to progress that had been made through the Wye
drains and rivers, carrying pesticides, chemical produce food to the highest standard, but also the Catchment Partnership in supporting farmers to
fertilisers and slurry, as well as washing away vital ecosystem services that support community adopt more practices that reduce pollution and
important nutrients. Agricultural sources account health and well-being and underpins sustainable increase profits.
for approximately 75% of sediment load being socio-economic development”
found in watercourses. Simon Evans, from the Wye and Usk Foundation,
Additionally, The Rivers Trust is working with said:
In 2018, The Rivers Trust, WWF and Angling Trust European partners on the Interreg TopSoil project,
launched a widely-praised report, Saving the Earth, to explore the possibilities of using the topsoil “I was really pleased that the Minister could come
in the House of Commons, calling for fundamental layers to solve current and future water challenges and visit one of the farms we’ve been working
changes in the way land is managed to protect across the North Sea Region. closely with and it was great to show him the
rivers, lakes and estuaries from pollution and progress we’ve made in improving agricultural
to reduce costs to society from flooding, water practices and the impact that has been having on
shortages, dredging and water treatment. the water quality of the river.
The report called for a firm but fair enforcement of “The Wye Catchment Partnership has really helped
There are 51 farm advisors in the Rivers
existing and new regulations to outlaw excessive our farm advisors by combining better-targeted
Trust movement, who worked on over 1081 Government support for farmers with more
soil erosion, water run-off and pollution, well
farms in 2018. effective regulation from the Environment Agency.
trained farm advisors to provide free advice to
landowners, and targeted incentives to compensate In Herefordshire, this combination supports farmers
farmers for changing land use in high-risk areas. to adopt more practices that reduce pollution and
increase profits.”
©Action for the River Kennet
Alex Adam, Head of Water Stewardship, said: Through the Courtauld Commitment 2025, South
East Rivers Trust, Kent County Council and NIAB
“We have had a really successful first year and have EMR have teamed up to develop the Holistic
supported some major retailers and their supply Water for Horticulture project which encourages
Building bridges between chains including Nestle Waters, IHG Hotels, Chivas polytunnel growers to consolidate and rationalise
their on-site set-up not only to improve water
business, water, wildlife Brothers and Engie.
security, but to use nature-based methods to return
and society “A growing number of businesses are now choosing excess water to the environment and reap other
benefits such as reduced flood risk, improved soil
to adopt the Alliance for Water Stewardship
Standard and a key part of this is to engage with and water quality and higher levels of biodiversity,
local communities and reduce water stress outside including the presence of all important pollinators
Following a successful first year, which included the immediate operations, a role which Catchment and pest predators.
being the lead UK partner for the Courtauld 2025 Partnerships and Rivers Trusts are ideally positioned
Water Commitment, the Water Stewardship Service to support. All of these benefits ultimately drive down costs for
has secured a further three years of funding polytunnel growers and other major stakeholders,
from WWF-UK, Coca- Cola, a number of retailers “We are excited about the difference that this such as water companies.
including Tesco, Asda, M&S and Co-op and the service can make to the environment, and the
Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation. The service opportunity we have to really drive environmental Samantha Hughes, Project Development Manager
was set up in 2018 to help businesses work together change from within these large corporate at South East Rivers Trust, said:
to deliver sustainable solutions for water. organisations.”
“We’re working towards creating a tool box of
measures that growers can use to address issues at
Using a holistic nature-based approach to a specific site but that end up benefiting others in
Over the last 12 months the service has focused horticulture, for the benefit of crops and water the catchment. Feedback from the project launch
on raising awareness of the Catchment Based event has allowed us to identify what concerns
Approach amongst businesses. The River Medway supports a growing polytunnel growers and how to take the Holistic Water for
horticulture industry which is producing high value Horticulture forward. We are talking and working
Highlighting the opportunities it provides to support soft fruit crops such as strawberries, raspberries and with growers, grower organisations, retailers,
business in their water stewardship strategies, blackberries. companies in the supply chain, water companies
developing a number of collaborative projects and knowledge providers to better understand how
designed to address issues identified in catchment Situated in one of the driest parts of the UK, climate to benefit all.”
partnership plans, and supporting individual change pressures and population growth, there is
businesses to develop their own water stewardship increasing pressure on water resources in the area Rivers Trusts engaged with more than 664
plans and engage with the relevant Catchment and growing concerns that there is insufficient businesses in 2018
Partnerships. water to meet future business needs.
12
©Bristol Avon Rivers Trust
In 2018, Rivers Trusts and volunteers took to the prevent litter from getting into rivers, and to help in Tania Crockett, Learning and Outreach Manager,
riverbeds armed with litter pickers to take on the the fight to clean up our environment.” Eden Rivers Trust, said:
plastic epidemic that hit the nation.
Rivers Trusts taking on In 2018, Rivers Trusts led more than 556 volunteer Beware the Litter Monster
“We’ve been tackling the problem of litter in our
rivers over the last year with our Rubbish Free
plastic pollution litter picks and it was the first year as official Rivers initiative of volunteer litter picks along
supporters of the Great British Spring Clean. In Cumbria, thanks to funding from the Heritage the Eden and were looking for a creative way to
Lottery Fund, Eden Rivers Trust used art and bring the hot topic of river and marine litter to life
2018 is notable for the start of the Blue Planet To prepare for the campaign, 12 Rivers Trusts took education to raise awareness of the impact of and capture children’s imaginations. We worked
effect after David Attenborough called for action part in specialist ‘Leading a Waterway Clean-up’ litter on our river environment. In spring 2018, they with an artist collective (led by Ro Thomas from
and highlighted the human impact on marine training by Thames21, to learn about delivering worked with children from local primary schools to Woodmatters) who took our original idea and
wildlife. It was also the year that the River Tame successful volunteer litter picks and the safety create a 4m high ‘Litter Monster’ sculpture for the created something extraordinary with the schools,
in Greater Manchester was marked as having the elements of holding an event in and around water. Trust’s Eden Rivers Wonder World exhibition. and we’re delighted with the response it generated.
worst level of microplastic pollution recorded Due to popular demand, we are currently
anywhere in the world thus far. Alistair Maltby, Operations Director for The Rivers 80 pupils from three schools explored the issues developing the Litter Monster concept to enable us
Trust, said: of river littering through a series of fun and to take the Litter Monster message to even more
informative workshops – undertaking litter picks schools across the catchment in 2019.”
It is estimated that 80% of marine litter comes from “Litter is the most visual indication of the pollution along their local river and working with artists to
land, and rivers are a major pathway for it to get of our rivers, and how this is getting to the sea. create both the giant sculpture plus mini monsters The children involved in the project were also
there. We are deeply concerned about the long-term that were incorporated into an animation that surprised to receive a personal letter from Sir David
impact of plastic on wildlife and on our own health. featured the children’s views about litter that also Attenborough to commend them on their amazing
14 We really need people to help us take action to formed part of the exhibit. work.
Rivers Trusts in Ireland From river enthusiasts to member Rivers Trust
The Inishowen Rivers Trust was one of the first
During 2018, the Rivers Trust family in Ireland capacity, share knowledge and to collaborate on
Rivers Trusts to be set up in Ireland with
R help from
has grown from strength to strength. There are water quality and community engagement projects.
our All-Ireland Director, Mark Horton. It formally
now seven Trusts stretching from Northwest
gained charitable status in March 2018 and has
Donegal to Southeast Wexford. For the first time The Rivers Trust Spring
gone from strength to strength since. The Trust
Conference was held in Dublin on the 21st March
is based in the Inishowen Municipal District - a
2018 and was attended by 135 delegates from
A further two cross-border Rivers Trusts, operating catchment adjacent to estuarine and coastal areas.
across the UK and Ireland. The conference gave
in the Erne and the Blackwater (Ulster) river
an opportunity for like-minded people to come
catchments, straddle the border between Ireland Like many of our Trusts, the Inishowen Rivers Trust
together to share learning and expertise around
and Northern Ireland. (IRT) started as a group of river enthusiasts who
the field of catchment management and to reflect
came together to reinstate an old river walk in
on the growth and diversity of the Rivers Trust
Although almost all the Irish Rivers Trusts Moville. Its success has been simply down to the
movement across the UK and Ireland.
have formed over the last few years, they are passion of the people about the local rivers and
already undertaking projects tackling a wide water.
Work continued on the delivery of the €5.3M cross-
range of catchment issues, including; identifying
border Source to Tap EU INTERREG VA funded
opportunities for Natural Flood Management Still completely managed by volunteers, the Trust
project, which aims to improve water quality in
as part of a national demonstration project in is running a successful River Guardian programme
rivers and lakes in the Erne and Derg catchment
Inishowen, County Donegal; training volunteers in supported by the EU LEADER Programme and has
areas, which provide water that serves parts of
riverfly monitoring and invasive plant control on also received funding from the Office of Public
counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, Donegal, Cavan,
the River Maigue, County Limerick; to undertaking Works (OPW) to carry out a study into the feasibility
Leitrim and Longford.
education and awareness raising initiatives in the of using natural water retention measures in
Moy, County Mayo, to name but a few. Inishowen – the first Natural Flood Management
With work ongoing to form further Rivers Trusts
project to be funded in Ireland.
in the coastal rivers of east Wicklow and in the
The establishment and work of Rivers Trusts in
Bandon River catchment in south Cork, we expect
Ireland is supported by the Local Authority Waters IRT Director, Trish Murphy, said:
the Rivers Trusts movement in Ireland to continue
Programme which is a shared service working with
to build momentum into 2019 and beyond.
Local Authorities and state agencies to develop “We’ve been fortunate to have excellent speakers
and implement River Basin Management Plans. from Ireland and the UK, presenting the latest
science to our volunteers and community groups
A team of 12 Community Water Officers and There are now 7 Rivers Trusts set up in over the last two years. This has helped us
over 30 Catchment Scientists are liaising with Ireland and a further 2 being proposed significantly to up-skill our volunteers and help us
Rivers Trusts and like-minded groups, to increase to plan for the future direction of the Trust”.
17Working in partnership to has led to the development of a new national
ICW working group. Chaired by The Rivers Trust, New wetland cleans over a million litres of
protect and enhance our the group’s principal tasks are to understand and water a day
address the key barriers to optimising the use of
Natural Capital ICW’s and to understand the additional natural
Norfolk Rivers Trust have created an innovative,
capital and social benefits they can provide in
natural treatment plant for over a million litres of
order to develop and drive novel funding and
With increasing pressures on our water a day to help improve the quality of water
financing solutions for wider catchment aims.
environment and worryingly declining trends that is returned to the River Ingol, one of Norfolk’s
in the quality of our natural ecosystems and precious chalk streams.
In addition, with funding support from the Interreg
the benefits they provide us, it is essential
North Sea Region WaterCoG project, we have
that we act now to protect and enhance our It’s the first of its kind in England and lies over one-
developed three short animations to try and help
‘Natural Capital’. hectare of land, creating a natural filter system,
bridge the gap between policy language and
where treated water will pass through the wetland
practical understanding of terms such as natural
Whilst common methods of accounting for Natural to be naturally filtered and cleaned before it’s
capital and ecosystem services These animations
Capital may not yet be widely agreed or applied, returned to the environment in the River Ingol in
can be found at www.theriverstrust.org.
it is clear that emerging concepts offer us an Norfolk.
opportunity to reframe the way we value our
natural environment when planning and making The natural filtering process improves the quality
investment decisions in catchment management. In 2018, Rivers Trusts delivered 46 SuDs or rain of water being returned to the river, benefiting the
garden projects – that’s 29 more than last year! whole of the River Ingol, which is a spring-fed chalk
An excellent example is the progress made this stream. Aside from having a practical purpose,
year to promote and enable alternative investment the wetland is a huge biodiversity asset attracting
options for water companies in Integrated breeding birds, amphibians, bats and water voles to
Constructed Wetlands (ICW’s). ICW’s use natural the local environment.
processes to reduce the need for expensive
traditional final stage treatment at water recycling Regan Harris from Anglian Water said:
centres, but also provide a host of additional
benefits, such as increased biodiversity, carbon “This is a really exciting project to be involved
storage, and health and wellbeing. in. Wetland treatment sites like this enable us to
treat used water to the same high standards as our
©Norfolk Rivers Trust
This new approach, pioneered by Norfolk Rivers conventional sites while vastly reducing our carbon
Trust, Anglian Water, and the Environment Agency footprint, costs and most importantly, enhancing
the local environment and ecosystems.”
18Health and safety in the Taking an evidence-led
Rivers Trust movement approach to water management
The Rivers Trust’s annual Chairman’s and CEO The Rivers Trust movement uses a weight of
meeting in Spring 2018 was the annual opportunity evidence approach to target and monitor the
for leaders from across the Rivers Trust movement environmental improvements we make.
to review our progress with respect to health and
safety. The session was used to identify existing
areas of best practice; share experience gained Over the last decade we have focused on making
from any issues that had occurred in the year and data and evidence easier to access and use by
focus on areas which need improvement. Rivers Trusts and other river conservation initiatives.
Every project we do, particularly those funded by
the EU have been used to build capacity and our
A library of health and safety resources have been access to environmental data. The Rivers Trust
developed, these resources are available to all mapping portal is well used and appreciated by
Rivers Trusts and will continue to be refined and catchment managers both inside and outside of the
improved based on the accumulated experience Rivers Trust movement.
from all Trusts.
The focus of the Data & Evidence team in The
Sharing experience of any issues that had occurred Rivers Trust in 2019/20 will be to overcome delivery
during the year and near miss reporting were barriers and maximise partnership opportunities
identified as two areas where focused effort will identified by the Catchment Data & Evidence Forum
make the greatest difference to Rivers Trusts; this is of CaBA partnerships, academia, water companies,
a key part of the open health and safety culture we environmental consultancies and government
are developing within the movement. agencies.
20 21©TakingthePixels
Our solidarity as a collective of independent 2. SCALE; we will use The Rivers Trust to deliver on Stewardship Service. Our aim is to increase our
grassroots charities, organised seamlessly by river the ground improvements across multiple Rivers share of unrestricted income so that we can set the
catchments, actively supported by an umbrella Trusts and achieve change at regional, national and agenda and be masters of our own destiny through
charity, is pretty unique globally and results in international scales. This includes supporting the these uncertain times.
more on the ground impact every year. It is critical exciting growth of the movement in Ireland.
Looking ahead that we maintain and develop these unique 5. COMMUNICATION; to use our collective
qualities to meet the challenges faced by humanity 3. SUPPORT to our members on mission critical achievements in a way which supports the aims
from the documented decline of freshwater nature, things that makes more sense to do once and of the whole movement. The statistics in this
We live in a time described as Volatile, Uncertain, and the growing pressure on water from the share, than repeat at each Trust such as the work review say it all. When we combine our collective
Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA). This applies climate crisis. carried out by our world class open data and achievements, it is a story of impact on our rivers
to the politics we are working with, and to evidence team, health and safety, best practice greater than anyone else out there. There are over
the environment we work in, and makes the We will concentrate on five areas of work to help and measures that help us retain the very best 1.3 million people with an active interest in rivers
development of any forward-looking strategy that our grassroots members get more work done than employees such as the pension we operate on through various leisure interests.
much more difficult. ever before: behalf of our members.
There is little argument, if you love rivers and you
Rivers Trusts are no strangers to VUCA, in fact over 1. POLICY; thanks to support from the Esmée 4. FUNDRAISING at a scale bigger than can be want to protect them, you need to support Rivers
the last 25 years it has been the only situation we Fairbairn Foundation and the Prince of Wales’s achieved in any one river catchment, with an Trusts, and you should join our Riverlution.
have experienced, and this makes us perfectly Charitable Foundation, we will work with our ambition for our collective to match the successes
placed to understand how we need to operate to members to identify practical and deliverable of more established national charities that are
achieve our charitable objectives over the coming policy changes and promote at the highest levels of single entities. We will launch individual giving and
years. government. begin campaign orientated fundraising, as well as
continuing to engage corporates through our WaterThe Rivers Trust
Rain-Charm House | Kyl Cober Parc | Stoke
Climsland | Callington | Cornwall | PL17 8PH
www.theriverstrust.org
T: +44 (0)1579 372 142 | E: info@theriverstrust.org
Company Registration Number 05136671. Registered Charity No: 1107144.
Registered in England & Wales as a company limited by guarantee. This Review is supported by the WaterCo-Governance (WaterCoG)
project under the Interreg North Sea Region VB programme,
funded by the European Regional Development FundYou can also read
