Ribble Rivers Trust are happy to announce that our work to remove Samlesbury weir is now complete. As with all our weir removals and fish passage projects we are happy that our work has made this stretch of river more wildlife and fish friendly, but it is also significant as this redundant 50 year old…

Local contractors begin ambitious in-stream project after adapting working practices to comply with COVID-19 safety guidance. The Ribble Catchment Partnership has seized on the opportunity provided by exceptionally low spring water levels to start work on a transformational project to return the river to its natural course at Samlesbury. In what is believed to be…

Horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) are actually a non-native species, introduced in the 16th century from Turkey, and planted widely in parks, streets, and gardens. This is why you rarely find them in woodlands. Horse chestnuts can grow up to 40 meters tall and live for over 300 years. This tree species is well known for…

Capturing the beauty of the River Ribble on camera over the course of a year is the focus of a new community photography project. A Year on the Ribble is an art installation by Ribble Rivers Trust (RRT) as part of Ribble Life Together, a project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Photography stands…

Week 1 Monday When I arrived, I was met by Helen who showed me around the office, introduced me to the other members of staff and went through my induction. We then visited Balderstones primary school to check on the tank, which is part of Trout in the Classroom. We then had a site visit…

Here at Ribble Rivers Trust we’re really excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with local artist Jessica Jenyns. Jessica has created some beautiful river themed greetings cards which are handmade, hand-finished, and environmentally-friendly; plus 50p from each card sold will be donated to the Trust. Jessica says; “Inspiration for my work comes from the…

A long-standing member of our Loud Facilitation Group who farms in Chipping has been recording and monitoring rainfall on her land for decades and her results are in for February… in total the farm was deluged by 333.2mm of rainfall in just one month! This is a record for February, and the 4th wettest month…

Apprenticeships are a great way to gain qualifications whilst you work, earn money, and gain the skills you need to work in your chosen sector. Plus the combination of knowledge and experience means apprentices stand out from the crowd, which is really important in industries such as conservation, where gaining experience and getting paid work…

Climate change is a big issue, and the subject is finally getting the attention it deserves. Research shows that we have around 10 years to dramatically change our lifestyles, which is a really scary thought. But there is time, and there are lots of little changes we can make to our day to day lives…

Our first trout eggs of the school year have now been delivered safely to schools Balderstone and Accrington, with more eggs due to be delivered over the coming week. Education and engagement are some of the most important parts of our work, and our Trout in the Classroom sessions have been a hit with primary…

Cased caddisfly larvae live underwater and make cases for themselves by sticking together materials such as stones, sand, and leaves with a silk like substance which is made in glands close to their mouths. Generally, the cases will be made of whatever is most available, so if you have a very sandy riverbed, or a…

Thanks to the media we’re learning more about the threats to our planet, our environment, and our climate- but did you know there are problems even in your local rivers? Our area covers parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire with some of the least amount of tree cover in the country, less than 25% of our…

With help from grants, donations, supporters, and volunteers we’ve planted over 150,000 trees across more than 180 hectares in the last 21 years. Over winter 2019/2020 we will be planting another 10,000 trees, with an even bigger number planned for winter 2020/2021. It’s safe to say that the catchment is looking greener, but why is…

Ribble Rivers Trust are proud to announce that the first phase of the Primrose Lodge Blue and Greenway Project (PLBGP) is now complete! The first phase of this ambitious plan involved coppicing trees then desilting the redundant mill lodge, as well as clearing the area which, over the decades in which it has remained redundant,…

Ribble Trust are excited to be taking part in the 1000 Rivers Project. This project, led by the University of Hull aims to take eDNA samples from 1000 rivers in the British Isles, Continental Europe, and Canada. The Trust will be collecting 5 samples from the Ribble catchment and 5 samples from the Douglas catchment.…

The Upper Ribble weirs, which are being addressed thanks to our Ribble Life for Water project, are a set of four weirs on the River Ribble close to Horton in Ribblesdale. Despite being close to its source the Ribble is still not achieving ‘good’ status in this location. This is due to a number of…

The Trust are now in their second year of the Pendle WINNS invasive species control, which is being carried out in partnership with Forest of Bowland AONB as part of their Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership project. Ribble Rivers Trust is helping the project achieve its aims by involving local volunteers in the control of invasive…

Holland wood weir lies on the River Darwen, close to its confluence with the River Ribble and the limit of the tidal Ribble area. The weir once helped to supply Walton Mill, a corn and flour mill in Walton le Dale, Preston, with water. Although the mill, which is now operated by Massey Bros, still…