What We do
Our driving goal is to improve the entire catchments ecological status as measured by the European Water Framework Directive ( WFD ) the standard by which each of England’s rivers will be measured. To our trustees this will be evidenced by increasing Salmon and Sea Trout numbers, enhanced mammal and avian life and less polluted bathing waters along our coast. Read more about the ways which we will achieve this below.
Monitoring and Research
Monitoring and Research
By monitoring the streams, rivers and brooks in the Wyre cathcment we can identify areas we would like to improve.
River Restoration
Monitoring and Research
Improving river bank habitats not only increases enjoyment for people but it provides shelter and food for wildlife, as well as improving water quality and reducing flood risk.
Education and Engagement
Education and Engagement
By educating and engaging the public we can bring the issues which face rivers and their catchments into the public domain.
Monitoring and research
By monitoring the watercourses of the Wyre Catchment we can identify areas of river, stream or brook that we would like to improve. Through research we can use methods of river restoration that are tried and tested, we can also devise new methods of river restoration where necessary . Monitoring also allows us to assess the success of the projects that we deliver, this enables us to quantify the improvements that we have made to riparian habitats and make changes to future projects if they are required. This monitoring takes many forms but is most commonly achieved through river corridor surveys, kick sampling and fixed point photography.
Monitoring Projects
Smelt Tagging
Franklaw Safeguard Zone
MoRPH Estuaries
The Wyre Estuary has been designated a marine conservation zone due to its importance to spawning smelt. The Wyre Rivers Trust has been working with Natural England to learn more about their habits in order to inform conservation management plans.
MoRPH Estuaries
Franklaw Safeguard Zone
MoRPH Estuaries
Estuarine habitats are often overlooked despite providing valuable ecosystem services such as flood defence and carbon storage. The Wyre Rivers Trust have been working with the Rivers Trust, Cartographer and Queen Mary University to develop a method of assessing estuary condition.
Franklaw Safeguard Zone
Franklaw Safeguard Zone
Franklaw Safeguard Zone
We are working with United Utilities to monitor concentrations of pesticides in the River Wyre and its tributaries. Pesticides can be harmful to river life and increase the level of treatment drinking water has to go to before reaching our taps.
River Restoration
We work with landowners to improve river bank habitats by creating buffer zones which allow river bank habitats to flourish. This reduces diffuse pollution and bank erosion and increases aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, improves water quality and will eventually provide shade to the watercourse.
Education and engagement
By educating and engaging the public we can bring the issues which face rivers and their catchments into the public domain. Raising awareness of these issues may cause more people to become interested in the water environment and take actions to ensure that they are not having an adverse impact upon it.