Westcountry Rivers Bring Water to Life

Rivers bring water to life‌ www.wrt.org.uk

Westcountry Rivers Trust Bringing our rivers to life for the benefit of all by protec ng habitats and species, balancing land�use and reconnec ng people with their local river

Rivers bring water to life…

We might not realise it, but our rivers, lakes and coasts inspire and sustain us all in our everyday lives. They are steeped in our history, embody our natural heritage and will be a vital element of our future health and prosperity Cuckoo flower

River Walkham

Cothele Quay

Rich in Wildlife

Health & wellbeing

Community & culture

Rivers and estuaries provide a vast and varied array of natural habitats, not just the water itself, but also on the surrounding land. These habitats support a wide array of animal and plant species making them fantas c spaces for wildlife and the perfect place for us to interact with the natural world.

Spending me in nature (especially where there is water) improves our quality of life: it helps us to enjoy be er mental and physical health with less depression, less stress and a greater sense of wellbeing. The natural world can also help our communi es to be stronger, more cohesive, safer and more vibrant places to live, learn and work.

Rivers, estuaries and the coast have always been at the heart of our Westcountry way‐of‐ life: an ever‐present thread in our culture and history. We have always lived close to these places as we need water to drink, for growing and harves ng food, to power our industries and, more recently, as spectacular spaces for our leisure ac vi es and tourism.

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A Westcountry landscape vision—Brian Hoskins

Grey wagtail in the snow. © Luc Viatour—www.lucnix.be

Watervole

Nature brings water to life…

Atlan c salmon

Our watery places—rivers, streams, estuaries, lakes, seas and wetlands—are home to some of our most spectacular and precious wildlife and are therefore a key element of our natural heritage...they are also the best places to go and see it...

Westcountry wildlife For many years, the rivers of the Westcountry have been a stronghold for iconic wildlife such as o ers, dippers and trout. We also have many precious and stunning natural habitats such as oak woodland, peat moorlands, culm wetlands and spectacular moorland streams.

Now, with the health of rivers, estuaries and wetlands improving across the region, the fortunes of these species and many others that have, in recent years, been struggling are beginning to improve. We are working to ensure that these improvements con nue.

The insect‐life in our rivers respond well to reduc ons in water pollu on, the magnificent salmon s ll return from the sea to spawn in our rivers and even water voles and beavers, which had both become ex nct, have returned to the Westcountry once more.

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Mayfly—BaeƟs Tenax

People bring water to life…

The people who live and work in the Westcountry are at the very heart of the region’s culture and help support its strong, vibrant communi es. By celebra ng, enjoying and conserving our natural heritage together, we can help our communi es to become more resilient, healthier and to develop a shared vision for the future of our landscape.

Making their TaMARK

Fishing on the Upper Teign

Local organic vegetables

Art & history

Recreation & leisure

Local food

Whether its our industrial heritage, salmon fishing, poli cs, military ac ons or social change, from Roman mes to the present day rivers and other watery places have been an ever‐present backdrop running through our history. Throughout history they have also been the inspira on for crea ve art: pain ng, prose, poetry, song, photography and more.

Rivers are great places to undertake physical ac vi es such as walking, running, cycling, swimming or paddling. These ac vi es, along with many other leisure pursuits (fishing, boa ng, geocaching, bird‐watching, riding...), give us a chance to interact with nature, help us to be healthy and happy and can support the social and economic regenera on of our rural and urban communi es.

Food grown in a local community or by local farmers encourages connec ons between the producers of food and local consumers. Local food helps people learn about sustainability and encourages the produc on of food in a manner that has a lower impact on the natural environment. It also strengthens the local economy and is o en of be er quality.

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Shopping at the River Tamar fes val

The Union Inn in Saltash

Port Eliot Fes val by the Tiddy

Polson Bridge

Boats in the Dart Estuary

River detec ves

Salmon in the classroom

Science brings water to life…

To secure the future health of our natural heritage and all of the benefits it will provide; local communi es will need to work together in partnership to develop a shared vision for the future of their landscape. To do this, we all need to learn about the vital role the environment plays in all of our lives and the best way to make that vision a reality.

Monitoring the environment

Become a river scientist

We use the latest technology in data visualisa on and environmental monitoring to assess the health of rivers, target our restora on efforts and help local people gain a be er understanding of the challenges and opportuni es we all face in protec ng and restoring our precious natural environment. We also use the latest technology to monitor water quality, to do biological monitoring to assess river health and we even have a drone to get a bird’s‐eye‐view…!

When people come into contact with the natural world and have the opportunity to learn the science of how it works ’hands‐on’, they are more likely to recognise its importance to them and more easily inspired to take on their vital role in caring for it. We work with schools, colleges, universi es and anyone else of any age to help them become a river detec ve, study salmon in the classroom, become a ci zen scien st or design research projects: we use science to bring water to life...

Fish surveys on the Dart

Riverfly monitoring with volunteers

Water pollu on monitoring & ci zen science

River habitat assessments on the Upper Exe

Action brings water to life…

There is a growing ambi on among Westcountry communi es to work together in partnership with volunteers, local government and local environmental groups to take on the responsibility of protec ng and enhancing the natural environment in their local areas. Evidence shows that strong community‐led partnerships can deliver significant environmental benefits for the people living and working in a landscape.

Good farm vs bad farm—a vision for catchment management

Farming for water Not only do we ask farmers to produce food from their land, but we also need them to manage a number of other outputs for which they do not get paid. These outputs include clean water for us to drink, wash in, irrigate crops and use for recrea on, but we also expect them to create spaces for wildlife, store flood waters, protect the character of the landscape and store water when there is drought. We try to work with farmers to help them provide the food they sell and these services.

River keepers The physical structure of a river; including the channel and banks, the water flowing through it and the vegeta on in the stream and on the banks, has a direct impact on the abundance of aqua c organisms including plants, invertebrates and fish.

While the wholesale re‐naturalisa on of our rivers is an unrealis c prospect, there are s ll numerous ways we can restore watercourses for the benefit of the people and wildlife who depend on them.

Natural towns & cities By enhancing the quality and supply of blue‐ and green‐spaces in our towns and ci es we can help to improve the health, wellbeing and prosperity of people living there. These features can protect us from flooding, improve air quality, provide us with spaces for recrea on and leisure, protect us from high temperatures and reduce social depriva on.

Good town vs bad town— Good town vs bad town—a vision for urban catchment management a vision for urban catchment management

Westcountry Rivers Trust Bringing our rivers to life for the benefit of all by protec ng habitats and species, balancing land‐use and reconnec ng people with their local river

Rain Charm House, Kyl Cober Parc, Stoke Climsland, Cornwall, PL17 8PH  info@wrt.org.uk

 01579 372140

www.wrt.org.uk