We conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the landscape and watercourses we rely on volunteers to help us with our work
We conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the landscape and watercourses we rely on volunteers to help us with our work
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
An Enforcement Undertaking is a voluntary offer made by an offender to repair environmental damage they have caused and make sure it cannot happen again. It enables the Environment Agency to decide whether or not to prosecute a business for breaching environmental regulations in cases where it is not in the public interest to prosecute. The offer must address the cause and effect of the offending and protect, restore or enhance the natural capital of England.
Enforcement undertakings mean that funding is made available local to where the offence occurred so that remediation can take place, which does not always happen when prosecutions occur. The Wear Rivers Trust can help to advise and carry out remediation works.
How we can help
The Wear Rivers Trust are well placed to deliver enforcement undertakings for restoration and remediation activities. The Trust has a team of staff who are experienced in delivering a range of projects including river restoration, wetland creation and habitat improvement works in both rural and urban settings within the Wear catchment. We are able to offer specialist advice, guidance and assistance to businesses and individuals to ensure the best outcomes possible from an environmental offence.
For more detail on civil sanctions and enforcement actions you can read the Environment Agency guidance using the link below (including a link to Enforcement undertaking offer form).
If you would like to discuss Enforcement Undertakings in the Wear Catchment please contact the Trust via our contact page below.
The Trust is a member of The Rivers Trust (formerly The Association of River Trusts) and works with the local community throughout the catchment of the Wear from the source in Upper Weardale to the coast to conserve, protect, restore and improve the rivers and streams of the catchment. One of the key aims is to raise awareness of the value of the River Wear, including its flora, fauna, social and economic benefits, and to help people understand the need for conservation and restoration, as well as to promote exploration and enjoyment of this precious resource.
Peter Nailon has worked with the Trust since its creation, becoming full-time director in August 2012. He attended the London School of Economics 1977-1981, then spent 2 years working on farms in Australia. On returning to the UK he worked in Logistics until 2006 when he moved into the environmental sector. He managed a dry stone walling apprenticeship scheme before moving on to Lantra where he was project manager for the LandSkills North East agriculture and forestry training, reporting to ONE North East under the Rural Development Programme for England 2008-2012.
Claire has a degree in Geography and taught at secondary school level for nearly 20 years before embarking on a career change and completing an MSc in Hydrogeology and River Management at Newcastle University*. Recently Claire has been working with Durham County Council and Groundworks North and South Tyneside as an Education Assistant, delivery environmental education, including Forest School, to Key stage 1 and 2 pupils. Claire's Masters dissertation was conducting research into Natural Flood Management in Upper Weardale.
Mark joined the trust in September 2021 to work within an innovative project to develop sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS). A community led approach to SuDS will be created over the next 5 years with hopes it can be scaled up across the sector. Mark has a degree in History and more than twenty five years’ experience in the community and voluntary sector in community buildings, project and event management. Mark has extensive experience working and volunteering within his community which should be very useful in his new role engaging with local residents, groups and businesses. Before working for the trust Mark was a Durham County Councillor from 2013-21 and Stanley Town Councillor 2017-21.
Away from work Mark is a school governor, charity trustee and athletics coach. He also enjoys fell running and cross country.
Michael joined the WRT in November after 35 years working for the Environment Agency, North East. He brings with him a vast fisheries knowledge and a wide range of monitoring techniques in fresh and saline water environments. He has previously volunteered helping out with the INNS management in the Wear catchment and enjoyed it so much that when the opportunity to work for them came along he jumped at the chance. He is a keen angler in a local fishing club and also coaches rugby union referees in his spare time.
Paul joined the Trust in July 2016 as a Project Officer. He has a degree in Environmental Biology and an MSc in Environmental Management. Paul has previously worked at the Tyne Rivers Trust and with the Environment Agency in a number of roles. He has a wealth of previous experience in monitoring freshwater ecology and co-ordinating and delivering habitat improvement projects.
Paul is experienced in tackling INNS through practical activities and the use of volunteer networks through community engagement. Paul has a wealth of experience in stakeholder engagement to raise awareness of the impact of INNS with particular regard to riparian INNS. The Trust maintains a catchment wide database of INNS records and is engaged in the use of Citizen Scientists to map and inform a practical strategy to eradicate INNS. Paul is co-ordinating remote sensing research into the rapid identification of INNS on the Wear with Newcastle and Durham Universities and has a wealth of knowledge to support the regional INNS strategy aims.
Kirstie has worked for the Trust since June 2017 in the capacity of Office and Business Development Manager. She has a strong financial background working as a Financial Controller for a PLC in the Nuclear sector for 10 years then more recently running her own business. She is a qualified Accounting Technician as well as having management qualifications. Outside of work Kirstie enjoys the outdoors and tending to her horses.
Martin joined the Trust in September 2017 to work primarily on the EU Intereg Topsoil Project. Having spent his working life in I.T. Martin decided in 2012 to change career and pursue a degree in Geology (UCC), followed by a MSc in Hydrogeology and Water Management (Newcastle University). Martin's primary interests are GIS, Data Management, Opportunity Mapping, Hydrological Modelling, and Mine Water Remediation. He is now the WRT IT Manager, supporting project development, delivery and reporting. Through his part time secondment to the Rivers Trust data team he has good visibility of national data management developments and opportunities.
Helen joined the Trust in February 2019 as the part time Office Administrator. She has a strong secretarial background of knowledge and experience in office procedures and protocols which will aid and enable the Trust office to run efficiently.
Rebekah joined the Trust in January 2020 as a Project Support Officer and has since progressed to Project Officer in February 2021. She has a degree in Environmental Geography and an MSc in Ecology and Wildlife Conservation. Rebekah has previous experience of working with volunteers to carry out habitat improvement and is particularly passionate about conserving the uplands for the benefit of both wildlife and future generations.
A large part of achieving this involves preserving areas in which native species are still flourishing and promoting their recovery in areas in which they are declining by managing invasive species. Rebekah has experience of this through her previous work and as part of the Wear Invasive Non-Native Species (WINNS) Project in which she has worked with colleagues and volunteers to survey and map the distribution of Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed, and carried out practical management tasks to begin the process of eradicating these species from priority areas. Controlling the spread of such non-native species throughout the catchment and beyond will help prevent native flora being outcompeted and allow the unique and important habitats of the Wear catchment, and the species which rely on them, to thrive for years to come.
Thomas joined the Team in April 2021 as Farm Advisor. He has a degree in Agricultural Business Management and has two years of experience as an Assistant Farm Manager. Thomas has a keen interest in improving soil health with direct drilling, and he is a member of Base UK.
Thomas’s main project is topsoil; topsoil aims to measure nitrogen in groundwater and the effects that cultivation and soil type have on nitrogen retention. The goal will inform farmers about how nutrient management can affect the environment. For example, excessive nitrogen application will pollute groundwater. It is crucial to Sunderland, where they rely on their groundwater for mains water and holds around 150 years of water supply without being recharged. If it were to be polluted, it would make Sunderland dependent on the reservoirs in the northeast.
Thomas is also involved with carrying out farm assessments and identifying areas of diffused pollution on-farm; these assessments aim to reduce small pollution sources, mainly phosphate and nitrates. The evaluation also provides financial support for farmers to meet non-compulsory regulations. Additional goals of these reports are to link with topsoil to help farmers improve soil health.