RRT online home
For the full job description please click here and an application form please click here.
Completed applications should be returned to admin@ribbletrust.com before the closing date of Friday 21st June.
The Ribble Rivers Trust’s (RRT) ‘Primrose Lodge Blue and Greenway Project’ which is receiving £500,768 from the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government, through the European Regional Development Fund, is now near to commencing work on the site.
Over recent months a key step forward for the project was the establishment of a new Trust who will own and maintain the site into the future – Primrose Community Nature Trust (PCNT). Primrose Community Nature Trust has been formed by three local people keen to see the site changed into a public space that will enable the community to enjoy nature right on their doorstep.
Primrose Community Nature Trust, Ribbe Rivers Trust, and Ribble Valley Borough Council have been working together to prepare a management and maintenance plan for the site following Ribble Rivers Trust’s works, but also thinking about the future. Richard Stephenson, Chair of Primrose Community Nature Trust said “this first phase of work is fundamental to establishing a high-quality public space, but it is only the beginning. There is much more that can be done to improve the site and bring benefit to the local community and the environment”. The two trusts are planning an event in the summer to discuss the current plans, but also to gather thoughts and ideas for further improvements from the local community.
Jack Spees CEO of Ribble Rivers Trust said “The establishment of Primrose Community Nature Trust is fantastic, Ribble Rivers Trust’s work over an area of 700 square miles, so we are pleased there are local dedicated people who will work to maintain the site for the benefit of us all, and we will work with to try and deliver further improvements to the site.”
You can find further detail on the Project on the project page, and a new website has also been created for Primrose Community Nature Trust www.primrosecommunitynaturetrust.org
When I first arrived I knew nothing! Or at least I felt like I didn’t. It was something completely new to me and I wasn’t sure if I would make the grade. However, that soon became irrelevant and unimportant.
Changing careers can be a daunting prospect as you can never be totally sure whether it’s something you’ll be good at or even like. I somehow knew though that my decision to change from working in an office doing admin to working as an apprentice for an environmental conservation charity would be the best professional decision I would ever make.
From sitting at a desk, where the only amount of 
lifting and carrying I did was to pick up a telephone/biscuit, to working in the countryside where lifting things (very heavy things!) became the norm, was a big change but as I’m always up for a challenge, I persevered. What could be better than exploring Lancashire’s green hills and getting fit at the same time?
I have been doing a horticulture apprenticeship at Ribble Rivers Trust since October 2017 where I’ve been able to get involved in a wide range of activities, for example fitting eel tiles on a fish pass, to allow eels to migrate upstream (see picture). Having never used a chisel and hammer (seriously) before, this was a first for me, and only on my second day! I was going in head first.
Next on the agenda, was planting trees. And oh boy, was there a lot! The first site had over 7000 trees and it was the first step I took into learning tree identification. I remember having a conversation with a friend a few months earlier about how I wished I could identify trees just by looking at their leaves; well now I’m well on my way to doing just that with native trees from the North West of England.
Not long into my apprenticeship I was given the opportunity to lead on activities with volunteers. My first task was to organise Balsam Bashing sessions during the summer months. Himalayan Balsam is an invasive and non-native plant that contributes to riverbank erosion and out-competes our native flora, hence why we encourage pulling it out. On my first day I was nervous to lead my own volunteer day, however my nerves soon dissipated when I met the volunteers who came. I’m proud to say they are still volunteering with us today, so I must have made a good impression. Or perhaps it was the ground coffee I put in their cups instead of instant and they couldn’t resist teasing me about it again!
My skills were developing quickly, and I 
was feeling more confident carrying out practical tasks. During the glorious summer of 2018, I spent most of it outdoors in the sunshine… I sense a bit of envy? Hmm you should be. I helped to construct a post and rail fence and made a hurdle to fit between the fence posts (see pictures).
Other activities I was involved in were creating woodland footpaths, hosting community litter picking sessions and creating leaky dams to help slow the flow of water downstream. Aside from the practical learning, these types of activities helped to explain the importance of caring for our environment and making it a safer, cleaner and more enjoyable place to be in for wildlife and people.
During my apprenticeship I received qualifications in how to apply pesticides using a knapsack, and training I was desperately keen on doing was using a chainsaw, so I gained a qualification in maintenance and cross cutting. These were things I could never have imagined doing, even a year before the start of my apprenticeship. Another milestone I reached recently was reversing the utility terrain vehicle onto its trailer (not the easiest of tasks), and it’s something I have struggled to do without assistance in the past, but I managed it once and for all.
I was able to go on a placement to work in the grounds of Whalley Abbey with the Head Gardener (see picture). Whilst there, I did a variety of tasks that ranged from planting up flower beds, to taking cuttings, to mowing and scarifying lawns. I liked finding out what plants worked well together, on what aspect and in which soil type. Having had both experience in horticulture and conservation, I feel I have been able to learn more and gain a wider range of practical experience in both areas which are closely linked.
Now, as I approach the end of my apprenticeship, I have made another leap and will be venturing into the world of amenity horticulture and working alongside other gardeners in a historic garden setting. For me, working in a garden surrounded by plants is where my passion is and I’m excited to see where it will take me.
Working at Ribble Rivers Trust has meant that I have grown in confidence in my own abilities to do practical tasks but also notably my family have regularly commented on how I seem a much happier person, because I am doing something that I enjoy. The apprenticeship has had its challenges, but I think it has only proven to me how determined I am to persevere and make sure I finish whatever task I started. It has been a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and meet like-minded people and I will take away so many fond memories, even of the singing and awful jokes!
The Tidal Ribble area is a unique landscape characterised by large spreads of urban areas and agricultural land, both of which have significant impacts on the quality of water in our rivers and streams, as well as at the coast. The project looks at working with farmers and communities to try to reduce the amount of pollution entering our watercourses, with work carried out in partnership with United Utilities, the Environment Agency, Catchment Sensitive Farming, the NFU and Blackpool Borough Council.
Set up in 2015 this project aims to work with farmers and rural communities to protect vulnerable bathing waters and shellfish waters along the Fylde coast which are being impacted upon by the Ribble estuary.
Research has identified that the main impact on the water quality is faecal matter from both urban and rural sources entering the watercourses with diffuse pollution from agriculture and discharges from private septic tanks being identified as the main contributors to this issue.
Since the project began, we have worked with 20 farms to implement schemes to reduce the amount of pollution coming from agricultural land. This work includes fencing off watercourses to prevent livestock accessing the water, planting trees along riverbanks to intercept run-off, and improving farmyard infrastructure, this has all helped to reduce the amount of faecal matter, chemicals and sediment end up in our rivers and along our beaches.
In addition to this we have delivered 36 community events and worked with 17 schools in the area, promoting ways for the public to be more water friendly around the home by raising awareness of the impacts of household waste water mismanagement and waste disposal.
Locations where dwellings are likely to have septic tanks and other private water treatment facilities have also been identified and a targeted campaign has been created in order to help people within these communities better understand how their systems work, how they can be maintained and what the consequences can be when these systems fail.
UPDATED
Our first project to restore Blackburn’s rivers is now complete. Bypass channels, or fish passes, have been constructed alongside two large weirs near Hoghton Bottoms and Lower Darwen, these channels will allow fish such as trout, salmon, and eels to migrate further upstream into river habitat that has been inaccessible for decades.
The weirs were originally built in order to harness the water for the local mills, which, at one time, were abundant in this area. However, the mills at these sites have long since been demolished some time ago. Despite this the weirs have remained and continued to affect the ecology and habitat quality of the river, as well as providing a barrier to the upstream migration of spawning fish.
Now that the bypass channels are working it is expected that there will be an increase in the fish populations here, and with more fish other wildlife will also return to the river such as otters and kingfishers. This is also good news for the people of Blackburn and Darwen, with these improvements in the rivers and associated habitats providing more diverse green spaces for people to visit and enjoy.
Following the success of these fish passages further work will be carried out on a section of the River Roddlesworth near Feniscowles in 2019. The section of river that is being improved is currently flowing through an underground culvert on the site of the former Star Paper Mill and is completely devoid of wildlife with no natural features. The area is now being redeveloped into housing which is providing us with the opportunity to return this section of river to a more natural state, allowing it to see daylight for the first time since the mill was built in 1875.
The River Roddlesworth flows down from the moors above Darwen, passing through woodlands and reservoirs before finally joining the River Darwen at Feniscowles. Just before this confluence the river is diverted into an underground culvert beneath the site of an old paper mill. It is here that our latest project is taking place.
The site of the old paper mill is now being developed into housing. Initially the plans for the development included the removal of the old culvert and the creation of a new concrete lined channel across the site. However, after discussing the project with the Ribble Rivers Trust the developer’s plans were changed and a project was set up to construct a ‘close to nature’ river channel around the site instead.
An example of a ‘closer to nature’ river channel
With support from the European Regional Development Fund and with our project partners Edenvale Young the new channel will be designed with features that will mimic those of a natural river. Following the course prefabricated by the developers, the new channel will have features such as pools and riffle sequences which will create a variance in flow that will provide the best habitat possible for several species of fish and invertebrates. It is hoped that in time these invertebrates and fish will attract different species of birds to the area and perhaps even mammals such as otters. The quality of the river habitat above and below the site is already good and so by renaturalising this section we hope to connect the habitats and create a wildlife corridor.
In addition to the renaturalisation of the River Roddlesworth there are three fish passage projects taking place above and below the mill site which will reconnect the fragmented habitat and open a further 19 hectares of river habitat for migrating fish and other wildlife.
Houghton Bottoms weir
The lowermost of these is Hoghton Bottoms Weir which was originally constructed to power a mill and cotton factory but is now surplus to requirements. It is proposed that a rock ramp be constructed on the left side of the weir, providing a channel that fish can use to bypass the structure.
The uppermost weir to be targeted is Lower Darwen Weir. A map from 1845 shows a mill race running from this weir to Ewood Cotton Mill with another, later map showing a second connection to a paper mill. Lower Darwen Weir is close to a swimming pool, nursery and industrial estate meaning that removal of the weir is not an option. Instead a rock ramp bypass channel will be built to the left of the weir which will encourage fish passage and help to stabilise the areas of erosion on the riverbank.
Thirdly the weir located just upstream of the ‘close to nature’ channel will enable fish to move along the length of the River Roddlesworth as far as the Roddlesworth reservoirs.
A map showing the current route of the River Roddlesworth in blue and the new route in red
Why is this work necessary?
The North West of England has a rich industrial heritage but this industry has resulted in environmental damage and neglect. Blackburn and Darwin’s rivers have historically been used for the disposal of sewage, waste and chemicals and dyes from the mills. In addition to this the towns expansion and the resulting mills, factories and houses meant that the rivers were subjected to greater controls with many being forced through stone and concrete lined channels which created a fragmented river habitat capable of supporting very little life.
A decline in industry and the introduction of environmental regulations has meant that water quality has already improved dramatically as has the diversity and abundance of wildlife. However, weirs and culverts are still proving problematic for wildlife and people; weirs and culverts can be barriers to fish migration, reducing their breeding potential and limiting the amount of number of species that can rely on them for food. Culverts also provide limited space for water and during periods of heavy flow they are often overwhelmed which causes flooding.
How will we determine the project’s success?
One of the ways we can measure the success of fish passage projects is by using Passive Integrated Transponders or PITs (which are similar to microchips in cats and dogs) to track the movements of brown trout. This tracking data will show us how easy the fish find it to ascend the rock ramps and continue their migration upstream.
Water level loggers will also be installed upstream and downstream of the site to collect baseline data then, once the ‘close to nature’ channel is constructed the loggers will again be used to measure the flow. It is predicted that the project will have a positive impact on the size, duration and timings of peak flows.
It is also hoped that following the project Blackburn with Darwen will see an increase in the abundance and diversity of wildlife across the district, helping to encourage a greater understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the outdoors.
Ribble Life Together is the ambitious flagship project of the Ribble Catchment Partnership, which is made up of environmental organisations, businesses, local authorities and interest groups, all with a vested interest in improving the catchment’s water environment for the benefit of people and wildlife.
After a two-year development phase, Ribble Life Together was awarded £1.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to enable its delivery until 2020, together with a further £1.6 million of match funding from partners and external sources.
Our Vision: Working collaboratively, we’ll deliver a substantially healthier Ribble river system by 2020 for the benefit of people and wildlife. We’ll celebrate the heritage of the river, improve access and use the river to inspire and educate. Through practical environmental action, based on science, we’ll leave a positive legacy for future generations.
According to the Environment Agency, only 21% of the Ribble Catchment’s rivers currently achieve a good ecological standard. The remainder suffer from urban and industrial pollution, agricultural impacts, fragmented habitat and mistreatment by the general public – predominantly littering. Floods and droughts associated with climate change and rising temperatures have exacerbated the problem in recent years, putting significant stress on river habitats and endangering certain species.
Ribble Life Together has been set up to address some of the issues. 30 new riparian woodlands are being planted and 15 new wetlands are being constructed in priority areas to help reduce pollution, increase biodiversity, provide natural flood risk management and reduce climate change impacts, creating a lasting legacy for the catchment and the communities that live and work here.
14 new fish passes are also being installed on weirs that currently prevent the natural migration of fish. Scientific monitoring will determine how much the river environment improves as a result of these interventions.
At the heart of the project is a determination to establish a better relationship between communities and their rivers by developing people’s understanding and appreciation of river environments. People are being invited to get involved in the project in a variety of ways, from attending volunteer events and conservation training workshops, to geocaching competitions, guided river walks, augmented reality videos and oral history.
Schools are also being offered educational visits that will help children learn about the importance of healthy rivers and the wildlife that lives within them, encouraging them to get into the habit of caring for the environment from an early age.
The physical improvement projects and activities being delivered as part of the Ribble Life Together project span the entire Ribble Catchment, from the source of the Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales, down to the estuary at Lytham, taking in the rivers Calder, Hodder and Darwen.
A new website has been set up for the project – ribblelifetogether.org – which acts as a hub of information about the project and our rivers in general.
Project partners and funders:
We have had two new short films produced by Northern Heart Films as part of our Ribble Life Together project. The first short film looks at the work we are doing with farmers in the Ribble Catchment, and how it not only benefits our environment, but also the farmers who care for it. The second looks takes a light hearted look at how important it is to educate the next generation of river guardians, equipping them with the knowledge and skills that they need to look after the environment, and ensuring that it will stay with them forever.
When I arrived, I was met by Ellie, who showed me around and introduced me to all the welcoming staff at the Ribble Rivers Trust. Firstly, I found out what everyone’s roles were, before learning in more detail what the Trust does and what I would be doing during the next fortnight, including tree planting which I did the next day. Then in the afternoon I went to Bashall Brook with Adam W to take some pictures to show the difference that has been made to the site as many trees and fences were put up and planted and there had been other features like brash bundling put in to stop erosion.
I arrived in early on Tuesday to go tree planting with Jonny and some of the apprentices, after loading the truck we set off for the day. After offloading the truck upon arrival to Wycoller, we set out alongside the stream planting trees. Planting trees near the river helps cool the temperature of the river and can stabilise its banks. Once we had planted all there was to plant, we set back for the warmth of the office all tired out, especially me as I’d never planted before!
On Wednesday I went to Stainforthwith Helen to test a circular walk route. On the route we took grid references at any gates, stiles or other forms of gateways. All of this is to produce a leaflet for the circular walk and to see if it is true to the map and suitable for people to walk. When we got back from Stainforth I started researching places on and around the walk as information for the leaflet learning lots about Stainforth, I also put the grid references into a computer to map out the route checking we had walked it right and to know where all the gates, styles, and other features were.
On my fourth day I was introduced to Neil, who is involved with the Rivers in the Classroom project. We had to go around some of the schools who are keeping trout in their classrooms, checking on them. We went to schools in various locations, from Oswaldtwistle to Hurst Green, checking every school’s tank. They were all fine, so we turned the temperature up on the tanks to encourage the trout to develop. When the trout grow, they can start to be fed by the children, getting them more involved, eventually the trout will be released into a river near to the school. As well as checking trout we also went to a meeting to discuss fishing in schools and some fishing awards for a school which Neil runs.
On Friday I went to a careers fair at Myerscough College with Matt, Kathryn and Helen. At the fair there was lots of other businesses and organisations from different subject areas. There were lots of students present and many spoke with us about what the Trust does and what career paths it can lead to and the volunteering side of it, we gave out many leaflets and students loved the free pens!
Then we went for a much-needed lunch break before heading back to the event. Lots of students enquired and all from different subject areas and tried out the virtual reality head set we brought along, which shows a 360-degree view of two sites improved by the Trust, giving facts about some work done and issues in the catchment. Then after the rush had died down and students had left, we packed up and headed back for the day. This had been a great first week to start my two weeks work experience, getting involved in multiple tasks to do with different sides of the Trust with different people.
To start my second week, on Monday I went out with Jack and Kathryn to Stotts Farm with Myerscough College to do some diffuse pollution training. Once the students had arrived Jack gave a talk on diffuse pollution including what diffuse pollution is and how it can be controlled. We were then given a guided walk around the farm to see what they do and how they have stopped some diffuse pollution. Then we had a lunch break before heading out to a site down the road where some work had been done by the Trust to stop diffuse pollution, such as planting trees on hills and softening the ground and slowing run off.
On Tuesday I went with Jonny, Ryan, Rob and Michael (a volunteer) to Wycoller tree planting. We planted some aspen, common oak, holly, silver birch just to name a few. When we arrived, we split different types of trees up into bags and went out onto the hillside in the wind. I mostly did some hammering of the stakes, holding the cases up for the protection of the tree, especially needed with the wind up there and all the rabbits. After planting lots of trees, we headed back to the office to unload the truck after warming up.
On Wednesday I went to Lytham with Helen to clean a beach with some volunteers and staff from LOVEmyBEACH. We then had a meeting with Emily from LOVEmyBEACH to talk about working together in and around the estuary and tidal River Ribble. This is because the areas the two charities cover overlaps near the estuary, meaning they can work together on certain events. Litter picked along the Ribble and other smaller brooks and streams around the Fylde area is prevented from ending up in the sea. Then we went to a park in Preston to look at the amount of rubbish being tipped there and into the stream, which all ends up in the Ribble to try organising a clean-up. Then we went to some schools and local businesses to promote a tree planting day near Preston at half term as it is family friendly, so ideal for locals.
It was back out tree planting on Thursday 
with an early start as we headed out to Wycoller on a very nice morning with the sun shining. When we arrived, we put up a sign on the main road for volunteers as it was a volunteer tree plant. Before the volunteers arrived Jonny, Ryan and I started planting some Scots Pine, then some volunteers arrived so we planted with them. The sun stayed shining all day and after a few hours it was time for a break and coffee, and before long we were planting again, I had a chance to meet new people and chat to them whilst planting in the lovely weather for a change. Then after a day of planting we headed to the office once again, a lot of progress had been made at Wycoller whilst I’ve been here and is soon to be completed.
Overall, I’ve had an enjoyable two weeks at the Trust doing many different tasks and getting a taste of what it will be like to work in the future. I have learnt a lot from how to plant trees to diffuse pollution. It has been a very positive experience, and I’ve picked up many skills, and gained in confidence along the way talking to people outside of my friendship group. I have also learnt all about the Trust and how they help my local rivers and what impact it had. I would like to thank the Trust for having me and everyone helping me out and giving me great experiences, also for a welcoming atmosphere in all areas. Couldn’t have picked a better place for my work experience.
UPDATE: Our Christmas tree collection scheme has been a huge success this year with hundreds of Christmas trees collected. These trees will be used in our brash bundling work, where they will provide support and stability to eroding river banks, helping us to limit river erosion and build river banks back up.
We’d like to say a massive thank you to the Green Jersey, the landowners who let us use their fields as collection points, the volunteers who helped with collections, and all those who donated their trees!
Ellie and Adam providing perspective for our Christmas tree mound!
Due to an amazing amount of support we are no longer able to accommodate new Christmas tree collections.
This is the first year we have run this appeal and we have been overwhelmed by the support we’ve had. Thank you for thinking of us and we hope you’ll remember us next year. We are active all year round, so please visit ribbletrust.org.uk for more information about the range of work we do to improve the rivers in the Ribble Catchment for wildlife and people.
Our survey team searching for fish
Over the summer the Trust have surveyed over 300 sites across the Ribble catchment. Our survey team do this to monitor fish numbers, particularly salmon and trout numbers. This helps us to gauge the health of our rivers and look for the areas which are doing well, and the areas which seem to be in poorer health.
This year’s summer has been extraordinarily warm and dry, leading to lower river levels and higher river temperatures. This caused problems both for our team (who are more used to summer rain!), and the catchments resident fish. 67 of our 333 sites had extremely low water levels and a further 6 were completely dry.
Fisheries Office Adam with his catch
Despite this there has been a rise in the number of salmon found in the Ribble and Hodder, with the Hodder yielding the highest numbers of salmon. However, there has been a drop in their overall distribution. This drop has been attributed to the warmer weather, warmer river temperatures, and low water levels.
On the Calder trout appear to be thriving, with numbers doubling compared to last year. This is likely to be a sign of the species recovering following the Boxing Day floods, which decimated fish numbers in the Calder. However, salmon numbers here are still low here. Next year we are planning to survey more sites in this area and carry out further investigations into what could be preventing salmon from spawning here.
It’s not all about salmon and trout. There are many other species that we find and record across the catchment. One notable discovery this year is the number of sites supporting juvenile chub. The fisherman’s favourite has been found at another 20 sites this year!
To find out more look out for an extended report in our 2019 newsletter, or our official report which will be uploaded to the Ribble Rivers Trust website soon.