Our BLOG
Ribble Rivers Trust Blog
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Outdoor Education; Inspiring the next generation of River Heroes
Young people are the river guardians of the future. That’s why, each year, we work with hundreds of local primary school pupils through our outdoor education projects to help spark a lifelong love of rivers. To do this, we use a mix of national curriculum approved classroom activities and fun outdoor sessions involving tree planting,…
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Bringing nature home: wildlife ponds
Ponds are amazing spaces for wildlife, supporting a wide range of species and providing homes for some really special creatures. Yet numbers have seen a big decline in recent years, partly due to our quest for neater gardens, but also so that land can be utilised for agriculture and development. However, we want ponds to…
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World Water Day 2024: Remarkable Rivers
For centuries, rivers have been a key part of human life. From helping our ancestors choose strategic locations for settlements, to revolutionising industrial processes, and helping us produce the food and water we need to survive. Of course, rivers are still influencing our lives here in the UK as a key part of our drinking…
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Species Survival Fund to Make Room For Rivers
Twenty conservation projects species are to benefit from the government’s Species Survival Fund. Including Ribble Rivers Trust, who will receive a grant for £1.65 million. The £25 million fund aims to enable the restoration of over 3,300 hectares of critical habitats. Wildlife charities, farmers, and community groups will all recieve grants for their projects. Each…
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Bathing Water Designation to Ensure Ribble Valley River is ‘Safe to Splash’
Ribble Valley residents are one step closer to the designation of their very own Bathing Water site thanks to the Ribble Rivers Trust’s Safe to Splash campaign. In an announcement this week the Government shared plans to designate the largest ever number of new bathing water sites. In total there are 27 new sites that…
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Community Catchments: Empowering People, Fighting Floods
Rivers across Lancashire and North Yorkshire are receiving a very welcome boost thanks to funding from the Defra £25m Natural Flood Management Fund, which is managed by the Environment Agency. Ribble Rivers Trust, who will be managing the project alongside various partners including Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Heidelberg Materials, and Downham Estate, have been…
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The secret world of rivers: what do healthy rivers look like?
River pollution is hitting the headlines once again. Whilst some river problems provide obvious signs, like visible litter and the smell of sewage, it’s not always easy to tell what healthy rivers look like in comparison to those tainted by pollution. As we already know, rivers are very complex systems that are heavily influenced by…
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Delivering Farm Advice in Lancashire and North Yorkshire
Farming is such an important part of our heritage especially here, in the Ribble catchment, where most of our land is utilised for agriculture and food production. It’s also an important part of our local and national heritage. Over many centuries farming has shaped the landscape that we know and love today. From the rolling…
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Growing Lancashire’s Future: Tree Nurseries Promise New Trees For Lancashire
In a move towards greater sustainability, Ribble Rivers Trust are proud to announce the establishment of another groundbreaking community tree nursery at Grange Community Gardens in Preston. This innovative initiative is designed to transform Lancashire’s landscape whilst engaging the community to secure a greener future for Lancashire’s woodlands. Currently, the majority of the tens of thousands of trees…
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What is Natural Flood Management (NFM)?
Natural Flood Management (NFM) simply means using natural processes to regulate water flow and reduce flood risk. There are many diverse types of NFM strategies which are all slightly different. However, they all have something in common; they all have reconnecting and renaturalising river systems at their core. Here are some of the ways our…
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Native Bats- Marvellous Mammals
Bats are some of the most unique and iconic species that call the UK home. These adorable nocturnal animals often have a spooky reputation. Could this have originated from tales of vampires? Or it could be because they’re nocturnal? Or perhaps even because of their looks? Either way, we love our native bats! Hibernation explained…
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Autumn Leaves; The Science Behind The Scenery
It’s that time of year when our wonderful woodlands give us one last spectacle, with a glorious show of autumn leaves before the trees retreat into dormancy for the winter. Did you know that the fresh vibrant green leaves that adorn our trees in summer already contain these autumn colours? Tree leaves are covered in…
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Riverbank Revival in Blackburn with Darwen
At Ribble Rivers Trust, we believe in the transformative power of nature. So, our upcoming project is more than just a crowdfunding campaign; it’s a journey to create a greener, happier, and more connected community! Through our ambitious crowdfunding campaign, we aim to raise between £2,000 and £5,000. These funds will allow us to create…
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Celebrating the Ribble’s Wonderful Wetlands
Wetlands are among the planet’s most at-risk environments, yet their value to both wildlife and people is massive. These areas of land, whether permanently or seasonally submerged, provide spaces for an array of species specially adapted to call these places home. Estuaries: Where wetlands and Sea meet Estuaries are found on the coast, where rivers…
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Restoring Hasgill Beck: A Brash Bundling Project for Healthy Rivers
Ribble Rivers Trust is embarking on an exciting project to restore the banks of Hasgill Beck, near Stocks Reservoir and Gisburn Forest. The Hasgill brash bundling project aims to combat severe erosion and enhance the natural beauty and biodiversity of the area. Located in the picturesque landscape of the Forest of Bowland, this project aims…
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RiverBlitz- A citizen science approach
What are RiverBlitz events? A RiverBlitz is one-day event where citizen scientists join together to collect information about water quality and biodiversity within a small area. The aim is to collect as much valuable data as possible. In particular, we focus on areas where there are gaps in knowledge, to help guide our future work…
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River Catchments: How They Work and Why They Matter
Ribble Rivers Trust is on a mission to protect and restore the wonderful waterways that wind their way through our landscapes. But what exactly are iver catchments, and why are they important? If you’ve ever heard us referring to the Ribble catchment or a catchment-based approach and found yourself a little confused, you’re in the…
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Exploring the Depths: Electrofishing for Conservation
Electrofishing for Conservation and Data-Driven River Restoration Ribble Rivers Trust strive to protect and restore the Ribble catchment’s rivers, and understanding the intricate dynamics of our river ecosystems is a huge, and very important part of our work. One technique that plays a crucial role in our data collecting efforts is electrofishing. Electrofishing is a…
