We are river and catchment conservation experts; a UK & Ireland charity fighting for a cleaner, healthier and wilder rivers. We are together, for rivers. 👊
🪧March with us or have your say from home! We're attending the
#MarchforCleanWater
, but if you can't make it, you can still support.
🫵You can amplify the call for restored waters by emailing your MP.
Find your MP's details, and use the email template:
⚠️😡Make no mistake, we are angry. This Government has today launched an attack on nature. We don’t use the words that follow lightly. We are entering uncharted territory. Please read this thread. 1/13
⭐We're delighted to announce the first of our new River Ambassadors;
@theAliceRoberts
⭐
Alice is passionate about improving river health and we're excited to work together to raise awareness of the issues that they face and to strive for their restoration and protection.
A majority of MPs have voted to reject amends to the
#EnvironmentBill
which would help our fight to
#EndSewagePollution
🤦♀️
This is incredibly disappointing news—but we MUST keep fighting. Cleaner rivers ARE possible, and we will not rest until they become reality 👊
WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO CLEANER RIVERS! 🎉
Make no mistake, YOU made this possible 💙
Thanks to YOUR voices, the
#EnvironmentBill
will be strengthened to help
#EndSewagePollution
👊
A five-year study of wild beavers has found that they alleviate flooding, reduce pollution, and boost populations of fish, amphibians and other wildlife ✨ Fantastic news for our rivers!
We've noticed lots of people talking about raw sewage in rivers this evening 💩
This is NOT an isolated problem. Check our
#SewageMap
to see where sewage enters YOUR local river 👇
#EndSewagePollution
Our updated
#Sewagemap
is out now!😱
Explore all the sewage data from 2021 with new interactive features and statistics 💩
See where sewage releases occurred, who is responsible for them and download local data to make sure you're using rivers safely 🏞️
🚨 OUR RIVERS ARE AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN 🚨
Today, we are launching the
#StateOfOurRivers
report: a comprehensive examination of river health across England 🔍
Think rivers are better than ever? Think again 👇
#GreatBigGreenWeek
#WorldRiversDay
🧪 Pesticides too harmful for use on crops are leaching into rivers from pet tick & flea treatments. There are over 300+ alternative products, yet these chemicals continue to be used widely. We're joining
@Pan_UK
to call for
#ToxicPetMeds
to be banned, in an open letter to gov.
👀
#BigRiverWatch
weekend is here 🎉
Join the fight for our rivers & help build a huge picture of river health across the UK & Ireland!
Simply 👇
1️⃣Download the free Big River Watch App.
2️⃣Spend 15 mins by your local river & completing the in-app survey.
3️⃣Upload your survey!
Amidst the chaos of
#coronavirus
, the canals in Venice run clear. Without boats to stir up silt and reduced levels of pollution, an abundance of fish speckle the turquoise water. A poignant reminder of our impact on nature 🌍
@GaryLineker
Hi Gary!
We thought you might be interested in our Sewage Map (NOT because of your, uhh, history 😳).
It shows you the points where sewage is entering YOUR local river. Check it out 👇
NOBODY should have to worry about sewage pollution when they're enjoying time in or around our rivers 🙅
Whether you swim, paddle, catch or play, make sure you stay informed about
#Sewage
discharges in YOUR local river using our map 💩
#StinkOrSwim
We are part of a coalition calling for legally-binding targets to reduce sewage pollution into rivers and coastal waters. We CAN make this happen - and we need to work
#TogetherForRivers
to
#EndSewagePollution
👊
We CANNOT ignore ‘low-impact’ pollution events ❌
If we are to restore our rivers, it is absolutely essential that there is a credible threat of enforcement for ALL pollution incidents.
When rivers thrive, so do we 💙
This
#WorldRiversDay
, the threats facing our rivers can feel insurmountable—but there is still hope!
Where did we go wrong, and how can we get back on track? 🤔 Check out our new video to find out 👇
You're so 💩 - it’s unbelievable! 😡
6 out of 9 water companies have had their environmental performance rated as UNACCEPTABLE.
Yet again,
@SouthernWater
&
@SouthWestWater
are trailing the pack with appalling results.
Read our press release 👇
Just 1% of rivers in England and Wales are free-flowing. Luckily, our local Trusts are on the case 💪 Who knew weir removal could be so therapeutic? 🤤 Thanks to
@WessexRivers
@Blacky_Himself
for the footage 📹 If you'd like to give a
#PresentforthePlanet
, find out more below 👇
Anyone claiming that we can’t afford a better system is full of 💩
Our Director of Partnerships & Comms
@ColvinH2O
explains why in this new blog.
A better future for rivers IS possible. Let’s stop
#sewage
scaremongering & start talking sense 👊
WHAT 👏 A 👏 TURNAROUND!
213 to 60 support our call to
#EndSewagePollution
🎉
This is all thanks to YOU - the people who refused to accept a 💩 future for rivers 👊
Excuse us if we get a bit teary... 🥺
This is MONUMENTAL. After being blocked for 180 years, shad are finally able to travel upstream again!
Amazing work from
@severnrivers
and the wider
@SevernUnlocked
team 👏
💙Want to help your local river?
Next weekend, we invite you to be part of a UK & Ireland-wide survey of river health.
🤳Join the first ever
#BigRiverWatch
on 22nd-24th!
Download the app, watch your local river and tell us what you see.
Find out more:
Over 300,000 trees planted, 12,400 volunteers engaged, and 6,138 km of river opened up for fish passage. WHAT 👏 A 👏 YEAR 👏 for the Rivers Trust movement 💙
That’s not all, either. Find out more in our review 👇
#TogetherForRivers
#EndSewagePollution
Today's Water Quality in Rivers report is an URGENT call to action for comprehensive, wide-reaching reform on river and water management.
To rely on healthy water supplies in the future, we need to act NOW and combat pollution 🚫
#EndSewagePollution
We welcome this prime-time show, highlighting the wicked problem of river health.
Hopefully, this inspires the government to develop a robust management system bringing organisations together around a common goal to turn things around.
Ep 2 on iPlayer 👇
Sick of 💩 in our rivers?
The next
#EnvironmentBill
amendment which could help us to
#EndSewagePollution
has to be voted through by the Lords on Tuesday, before returning to parliament.
Tell YOUR MP that they need to support this amendment 👇
The River Swarbourn, a tributary of the River Trent, has seen some truly devastating damage today.
This kind of work is illegal without a permit, disastrous for the local biodiversity, and takes years to repair!
The incident is currently under investigation.
We’re releasing this video of the River Swarbourn in the hope it educates other landowners that this is NOT okay. It is illegal environmental damage to biodiversity which will take years to undo. 💔
@caitlinmoran
We want people to be able to enjoy rivers, and for lots of people that means wild swimming - but it's SO important to be aware of sewage pollution 💩
Check our map to find out where sewage enters YOUR local river 👇
The Chinese paddlefish, one of world's largest fish, has gone extinct. Despite the species surviving for almost 200 million years, overfishing and dam construction have led to its downfall.
Another new fish pass🐟
Weirs such as this make it almost impossible for fish to move upstream & breed- so we create fish passes.
Here we've created a close to nature bypass channel- because if we can't modify the weir, we'll go around it instead!
A consultation has been launched to create the UK's first river bathing spot in Ilkley 🏊♀️ We believe that introducing designated bathing waters to well-used UK rivers is the best way to ensure they are protected from sewage pollution 👊
Thank you to all of the MPs who voted to protect our rivers and coastal waters from sewage pollution 💙
Want to check how YOUR MP voted? Visit the link below 👇
🚨 OUR
#SewageMap
HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH 2020 DATA 🚨
You can’t polish a 💩, but you can put it on a map 📍Click the link below to find out what’s lurking in YOUR local river 👇
#EndSewagePollution
#pollution
IS YOUR LOCAL RIVER FULL OF 💩?
Using our
#SewageMap
, it couldn't be easier to find out. Find out where
#sewage
enters rivers in your area - and prepare to be shocked by how long these sewers spent overflowing in 2020... 🤢
Use the interactive map 👇
📣 New data on our sewage map!
Our sewage map now contains the recently released 2022 annual spill data for Engalnd and Wales.
See where sewage spills have happened in your area!
👀 Keep an eye out for further updates with new features coming soon.
We are concerned about James Bevan's proposals to revise how we measure the health of our rivers. Let's fix the problems, not the goal posts.
@LaurenceWRT
of
@WestcountryRT
&
@N_Rivers_Trust
discuss here 👇
You'll hear more from us on this tomorrow, but until then, we at The Rivers Trust want to say a huge THANK YOU for all of your support 💙
The devil will be in the details, but for now, let's celebrate your success.
Our voices are stronger together 👊
What a brilliant early Christmas present! 😍
Huge congratulations to all involved with the
@CleanIlkley
campaign - let's hope this is the first of many bathing sites in UK rivers 💙
#TogetherForRivers
Our rivers are facing many pressures!
Across our river catchments we are working together.
Using nature's power, we are finding long term, efficient solutions for our ailing rivers and the communities that enjoy them.
The data has been tricky to interpret, and our Data & Evidence team have been working overtime to make this happen... but we are SO pleased to announce that our updated
#SewageMap
will be released next week 🥳
#EndSewagePollution
#TogetherForRivers
You might be finding it harder than usual to buy toilet paper amidst the
#coronavirus
induced
#panicbuying
- but please don't be tempted by the alternatives! ❌ Whatever you flush down the toilet can end up polluting our rivers and blocking our sewers 🤢
#thinkbeforeyouflush
As part of the Chalk Stream Restoration group, we're calling for
#ChalkStreams
in England to be given enhanced environmental status 👊
Watch the video to find out why we're so passionate about these incredible habitats, and learn what needs to be done to save them 👇
Today, we are launching
#TogetherForRivers
- a campaign which hopes to see the first bathing water standards introduced to well-used rivers in the UK 👊
Working in river restoration you see a lot of knackered river.
Occasionally however, you come across something like this 😍
#chalkstream
#ginclear
#oasis
'Chalk-Streams First' has the potential to completely re-naturalise the flow in the Chilterns chalk-streams, with potentially only a small net loss to overall public water supply 💧 Read our guest blog from Charles Rangeley Wilson to find out more 👇
🎉 Positive River News!
Let's kick the week off with some good news from last month.
We've got eels returning, fantastic projects receiving funding, our first
#BigRiverWatch
event, and more!
🧵
When we talk about sewage pollution, it can be difficult to visualise just how dreadful it is. This footage provides a powerful reminder of what sewage does to life below the surface 👇
💙 We want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part in
#BigRiverWatch
this weekend! 🙌
We're delighted to have received over 3,400 surveys (and counting) in the biggest
#citizenscience
project looking at
#river
health in the UK and Ireland!
⭐ We're delighted to introduce our newest ambassador; wildlife cameraman & angler
@JackPerksPhoto
⭐
Read about his love of rivers, how fishing enraptured him as a young naturalist, and his passion for spotlighting the UK's wonderful freshwater life:
We can't get over how beautiful these grayling are 🤩
They're such stunning, exotic fish - and we're lucky enough to have them here at home in our rivers! 💙
Thanks again to
@paul_colley
for giving us a glimpse beneath the surface 📸
Beavers, 'nature's engineers', are set to be released on two more sites in England. It's hoped that they will help to boost catchment resilience against extreme rainfall events 💧
A jigsaw of fish passes have opened a migratory route stretching from the North Sea all the way to spawning grounds near Sheffield. This will be the first time in 200 years salmon will have a fully joined up river 🤯
@DonCatchmentRT
#WorldOceansDay
🌊
🎉IT'S OFFICIAL🎉
Port Meadow in Oxford joins
@CleanIlkley
as the 2nd designated river bathing water spot in England 🏊
Our work with local groups,
@OxfordCity
and citizen science has helped protect swimmers through regular water testing and signage💙
This
#AttackOnNature
has to stop now! 🛑
We stand alongside our fellow E-NGOs demanding that
@Jacob_Rees_Mogg
withdraw the reckless EU Retained Law Bill.
What did you make of tonight's episode of
#OurTroubledRiver
with
@PaulWhitehouse
? Want to learn about 💩 in your river? Take a look at our map 👇...new updates coming soon 👀
Fantastic seeing our chalk streams featuring on
#WildIsles
👏
“One of the rarest habitats on earth and we have 85% of them”
Supporting wonderful wildlife, they are a vital habitat that need protecting.
BUILD 👏 BACK 👏 WETTER 👏
A fantastic call to action from
@ColvinH2O
on
@Channel4News
.
Dry spells are the new normal. We need to work with nature to restore landscapes which hold and store water 💧 MORE wetlands, MORE sustainable drainage, MORE natural rivers.
🚨 90% of people surveyed would support the introduction of bathing water standards for rivers 🚨
This
#WorldWaterDay
, we're shedding some light on sewage pollution 💩 Find out more in the new
#SewageInOurRivers
report 👇
Bangladesh has declared its rivers as "legal persons", giving them the rights and status of a living entity! 😲 Do you think all countries should adopt this approach? Tweet us and let us know!
💧Are you frustrated by the state of our rivers?
Well, there are a few things that you can do to help:
🗑️ Litter pick
🚿 Reduce your water usage
👏 Volunteer with your local Rivers Trust
📱 Download the
#BigRiverWatch
app & take part this weekend 👇
❌ Env. regulations
The
#RetainedEULaw
Bill could see HUNDREDS of environmental laws repealed. We are already one of the most nature-depleted nations on earth, & we cannot afford to weaken what little protections we have.
Biodiversity & water need MORE protection, not less.
To recap, the Government is considering:
🚜 Abandoning its Environmental Land Management (Elms) scheme for agriculture
❌ Abolishing environmental regulations
🏗️ Allowing unfettered development in investment zones
More detail 👇
Our rivers need help NOW - not years down the line.
This plan is slower than water company proposals. We want to see government leading, not lagging 🤦
Rivers will not survive 30 years at the current levels of pollution. They deserve better than this.
We are excited to be a part of a new series of 4 projects launching today, set up by
@DefraGovUK
@EnvAgency
@triodosuk
&
@EsmeeFairbairn
🎉 We’ll be using the funding to investigate innovative funding ops for nature-based solutions in the Wyre catchment, Lancashire.
📉Returning salmon numbers have dropped by 70% in just 25 years!
They could be absent from our rivers in as little as 20 years.
These incredible fish need our help!
They need healthy, wild, and natural rivers.
#WildIsles
Spending time in and around aquatic environments has consistently been linked to inducing a positive mood while reducing negative mood and stress - even more so than green space does! 🌊
#MondayMotivation
It’s
#TransformationTuesday
! ✨
In 2019,
@ARKennet
carried out community river restoration days on this stream 👊
The result? Lots of new, native vegetation, a clean gravel bed, improved flow, & a healthy invertebrate population 🪲
Now THAT’S what we call a
#RiverRevival
👏
Weir today, gone tomorrow... how many weir puns can I make before you get sick of them? 🤭 It's fantastic to see our rivers being returned to a more natural state! 🙌
📷 We need your pollution photos!
We are in the market for some high-quality images of various kinds of river pollution.
If you have any photos of the types of pollution listed in the tweet below, please do send them our way at:
info
@theriverstrust
.org
🧵
On this
#WorldWaterDay
we're celebrating Groundwater 💧
Springs, rivers and wetlands are fed by groundwater and so are we! It is the main source we use for farming and drinking water 🚰
It also helps supplement our chalk streams - one of the UK's natural wonders✨
📣 We have an exciting announcement...
We're now ONE month away from launching our
#BigRiverWatch
campaign!
On the 22-24th of September and coinciding with
#WorldRiversDay
, we're inviting YOU to love your local river and be part of the movement demanding better for our water.
Admittedly winter vs spring but the before shot is actually clear water!
3 years growth after a river restoration on the River Dever, Hampshire.
@WildTroutTrust
with
@EnvAgencySE
See thread...
Our 2022-23 Impact Report is out NOW! 🎉
Dive into the incredible work being done across The Rivers Trust Movement, with fascinating case studies from our member Trusts, memorable moments, and a look to the future.
Learn more & get involved 👇
👀 One week to go until
#BigRiverWatch
! This is your official invitation to get involved in the movement working to protect and restore our rivers.
All you'll need is a mobile phone and 15 minutes to spend watching your local (or exploring a new) river:
Are you watching
@rivercide_live
and feeling totally appalled by how often sewage spills into rivers? Well, you might want to check yours...
Find out about the 💩 going down in YOUR local river using our Sewage Map 👇
#Rivercide
In short, these measures would SHATTER the government’s 25-year environment plan and its manifesto commitments.
Far from being beneficial to economic growth, they would severely damage the sustainability of the country’s economy and the well-being of future generations.
Healthy nature is vital. River health is our priority, and should be for our decision makers too.
Data is essential for demanding change. Our CEO
@MarkLloydRT
has used our
#BigRiverWatch
citizen science app to survey his local river. Will you join us this weekend and do so too?
England’s riverbanks and watercourses are about to get a lot greener 🌳
The
#WoodlandsForWater
project will help plant over 3,000 hectares of new woodlands along rivers and watercourses to improve water quality and biodiversity.
Read ➡️
#OneStepGreener
We are not at our final destination, but last night, two crucial steps were taken in our journey towards healthier rivers 👊
The real victory lies not in politics; it lies in the arms of the people who assembled in defence of our rivers.
More below 👇
We supported the Wellington amendment to stop
#sewage
being discharged into our rivers, and we were disappointed that it wasn’t supported by a majority of MPs in the Commons yesterday.
HOWEVER - thread incoming 👇
Just in case you missed it earlier, here's a summary of everything the Rivers Trust movement achieved last year 🎉 Thanks to all of the incredible work our local Trusts carry out, our rivers stand a fighting chance in the future 💪🏻
#MondayMotivation
The
@EnvAgency
are now threatening CEOs and board members with criminal prosecutions and prison sentences if they fail to clean up 🧑⚖️
It's about time! We are literally SICK of sewage pollution. We want rivers that are fit for nature to thrive and people to enjoy 🐟🏊♀️
Rivers are such special habitats - and photos like this make us fall in love with them all over again 💙
Another lovely shot from our Ambassador
@paul_colley
👏
Happy
#internationalwomensday
to all the incredible women in the Rivers Trust movement! Ever wondered what it takes to be a woman in the Rivers Trust movement? Take a look at these 6 fierce ladies kicking butt in the environment sector on a daily basis: