Deeply concerning’ failures to properly implement regulations designed to protect rivers, lakes and coastal waters in England mean key targets for improvement will be missed, a report by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has found. As part of its role to monitor how environmental laws are working in practice the OEP has carried out […]
Last weekend (3-6 May), the Rivers Trust ran its Big River Watch weekend – a simple citizen science activity that helps build a picture of river health across the UK and Ireland. The app and survey will remain open to collect data year-round. So, if you run a volunteer group or you’re interested in continuing […]
Severn Trent Water has published its Get River Positive annual report. It includes five pledges to make our region’s rivers the healthiest they can be, as quickly as possible. Ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers Create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy our region’s rivers Support others to improve and […]
Research has uncovered that nearly half of the world’s estuaries have been directly altered by human activities. Estuaries, vital transition zones between freshwater and marine environments can be called ‘nurseries of the sea’ as not only animals but also humans commonly rely on them for nesting and breeding as well as tourism, fisheries, and recreational […]
The Sustainable Solutions for Water and Nature (SSWAN) partnership has published an outline of a new model and discussion paper for regulation of the water environment. The new SSWAN model shifts regulation towards catchment-based approaches to support cheaper, more innovative, more collaborative projects that more accurately reflect local priorities. SSWAN proposes a four-tier regulatory framework: […]
How unhealthy are our rivers? The latest Rivers Trust State of Our Rivers Report finds that: No single stretch of river in England or Northern Ireland is in good overall health. Just 15% of English, 31% of Northern Irish, and 50% of Irish river stretches reach good ecological health standards. Toxic chemicals persist in every […]
From Make Water Famous A study in England has found that freshwater macro-invertebrate richness has increased over the past 30 years, indicating a positive trend in biodiversity. Aquatic macro-invertebrates are insects in their nymph and larval stages, that spend at least part of their lives in water. They play a large role in freshwater ecosystems […]
Wildlife campaigners are warning that harmful neonicotinoid pesticide levels can be found in rivers around England, according to new research published today (22 September). The warning comes as environmental groups wait to hear if one banned toxic neonicotinoid pesticide – Thiamethoxam – will be approved by the Government for English sugar beet farm use for […]