Blog

Fencing One of the initiatives South Cumbria Rivers Trust delivers is protecting rivers through watercourse fencing. Fencing offers several advantages including safeguarding livestock by preventing them from accessing steep banks, reducing poaching next to the river, which reduces the amount of fine sediment entering a watercourse. The space between the fence and the river becomes a buffer strip and can be utilised for planting trees or maintaining natural vegetation. Crucially, this space absorbs surplus surface run-off, contributes significantly to improving…

Well it’s been an amazing year for the Windermere catchment, if we do say so ourselves. South Cumbria Rivers Trust received funding from Garfield Weston in October 2022 to set up and develop a Windermere Community Partnership for the communities of the Windermere and Leven catchment. If you don’t know what a community partnership is, let’s start at the beginning. Catchment Partnerships South Cumbria Rivers Trust are the Defra appointed host of the South Cumbria Catchment Partnership: Becks to Bay.…

World Wildlife Day by Hannah Teagle, Project officer Sunday the 3rd March 2024 was World Wildlife Day! A day dedicated to recognising the roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet. Freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes and ponds are essential for diverse and healthy wildlife ecosystems. The work we do here at SCRT aims to actively improve these habitats for aquatic species such as salmon, trout, otter, kingfishers and more! One project with a heavy focus on these…

The project This 5-year project which will finish in 2026, aims to restore the River Kent Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). How? Through habitat improvement works largely focusing on providing habitats suitable for fish (including salmon and trout), freshwater pearl mussels and white-clawed crayfish. The project has four partners: Natural England, South Cumbria Rivers Trust, Freshwater Biological Association and the Environment Agency. Our objectives are very clear – monitor, conserve, protect, rehabilitate and…

By Kath Smith, our Community and Engagement Officer Nature is in crisis. Connecting more people of all ages to rivers, lakes and the wider environment has never been more important. So how do SCRT do this? Through education and engagement with nature and our freshwater environments. Sharing our knowledge and love for freshwater is key to helping people understand what is special about our rivers and lakes as well as the pressures they face. From knowledge comes understanding, from understanding…

By Andrew Gardner Embarking on the role of a new trustee at South Cumbria Rivers Trust (SCRT) is a journey akin to navigating the intricate twists and turns of a river. With a commitment to restoring rich, healthy rivers and lakes for nature and the people of South Cumbria, this unique role is both an honour and a responsibility. My first twelve months as a trustee has been an interesting journey filled with challenges and triumphs. This blog delves into…

By Hannah Teagle – Project Officer The European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) is widely distributed throughout Europe but starts its life 4000 miles away in the Sargasso Sea. Soon after hatching as transparent ‘glass eels’, they start the journey towards Europe using the Gulf Stream. Once in Europe (if they make it) the eels enter the freshwater system, growing into elvers in becks and rivers where they can remain from 5 to 20 years! The last stage of their life is…

Hello I’m Oliver and I have recently joined SCRT as a Water Scientist. My role will be to support the other members of the team, particularly around data collection and analysis, bringing the understanding and experience I developed through my degree. Over my first two months, I have certainly been putting many of these skills and techniques into practice, as well as learning about where and how the Trust operates. Having visited various parts of South Cumbria on holiday over…

One question that’s been brought up this year is ‘shouldn’t you leave Himalayan Balsam (HB) once it’s gone to seed?’ With anything in life, the answer isn’t a straightforward yes or no. Once HB has started to form its mature seed pods it should be treated more carefully. So, here is our handy information pack about the methods we use, when and why to pull HB in seed, the risks and how to reduce them. Our Method: How to conduct…

Himalayan Balsam: an invasive species Himalayan balsam (HB) is seen to be a beautiful plant, by some. The Victorians certainly took a shine to it and brought it to England, to put in their gardens. Little did they know the damage this plant would cause in the years following. Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is an annual, meaning that each plant will grow each year, set seed and then die off. The problem is in the number of seeds it produces…