Learning about Rivers

As part of ongoing projects, we work with local community groups, schools and adults through learning activities, events, training and volunteer programmes.

We are always striving to help people connect with rivers and understand the role they have in our lives. Visiting a river promotes positive health and well being, just seeing a kingfisher can spark a love of nature so encouraging people to learn about rivers and lakes and their conservation and enhancement, will help ensure better rivers and biodiversity in the future.

Working with Schools

SCRT have worked with students from schools and academies across South Cumbria as well as the University of Cumbria, through a variety of our projects.

The Conserving Coniston & Crake Project worked with several schools, exploring the River Crake and nearby becks. Penny Bridge Academy learnt about freshwater invertebrates, enjoyed a Sounds walk led by artist Dan Fox of Sound Intervention https://www.danfox.net/ and became Riverfly volunteers, recording freshwater invertebrates in their local beck. Students from John Ruskin High School made bird boxes as part of their John Muir award and spent time exploring their local becks.

“The students learned a lot and the practical hands-on activities were fantastic for them, it was a very worthwhile experience” – John Ruskin High School

The Biffa Award Freshwater Pear Mussels Project spent time with St Oswald’s, Heron Hill, Langdale and Staveley primary schools, looking at the amazing mussels. Lots of great artwork was produced and a mini drama created by the students to celebrate the fantastic lifecycle of freshwater mussels finished off the project, the film can be viewed here:

Experience the River

This programme involves helping schools to explore their local river through indoor work, art and dipping in the river for freshwater life. There is the opportunity to explore river features, identify freshwater invertebrates, learn about the affect we have on them and how we can help to protect them.

What is a catchment?

Who Lives In Your River?

Identifying and Recording

In the Community

Engaging with local communities is really important to us and we love encouraging people to learn more about their local river. We run events, workshops and demonstration days, have a stall at local shows and give talks to a wide range of groups. As people learn about the river, its habitats and wildlife they then start to feel a sense of responsibility and want to get involved to protect and enhance their local patch.

We work with landowners and farmers to protect and restore freshwater habitats across the catchments, helping to reverse the decline of some of our most iconic species such as Atlantic salmon, White-clawed crayfish and the critically endangered European eel.