We are an independent environmental charity (charity number: 1094613) working to protect, restore, and enhance the River Wear and its catchment for the benefit of wildlife and people. We are part of The Rivers Trust movement, a national network of independent rivers trusts working across the UK to improve rivers and catchments. You can find out more about The Rivers Trust and the wider movement through their website.

Wear Rivers Trust works across the River Wear catchment, including its main river, tributaries, and surrounding landscapes. Our activities focus on improving river health, habitats, and access throughout the catchment area.

Rivers trusts deliver practical conservation and restoration work, improve habitats and water quality, and engage people in caring for their local rivers.

No. We are an independent charity, not an enforcement or regulatory agency. Our work is partnership-led and focused on positive, practical action.

Our work is supported through grants, partnerships, donations, and charitable funding.

Our work includes habitat restoration, river and water quality improvements, natural flood management, education, and community engagement.

We prioritise work based on environmental need, evidence, local knowledge, and opportunities to work in partnership.

Yes. We work collaboratively with landowners and land managers to support sustainable land and water management.

You can get involved by volunteering, attending events, supporting our work, or engaging with our education and community activities. Information on how you can get involved with our work can be found here.

No experience is required. We provide guidance, training, and equipment where needed.

If you notice a problem such as pollution, invasive species, or damage to river habitats, please visit our Report a Problem page. This will guide you to the correct organisation to report the issue to, depending on the type of problem.

Yes. We welcome opportunities to work with organisations and businesses through partnerships that support positive environmental outcomes, including corporate volunteering, sponsorship, and collaborative projects. To discuss potential partnership work, please visit our Contact Us page and get in touch with the team.