Wapping Burn Return to Eden Project

Wear Rivers Trust (WRT) is now working with businesses, volunteers and partners to improve the Wapping Burn in Peterlee. We’re engaging with businesses across Peterlee Business Park to raise awareness of their potential impact on the water quality of the 3 tributaries that feed the Castle Eden Dene (Wapping, Gore and Edderacres Burns) and the coastal waters beyond.

We are developing opportunities for volunteering through businesses corporate responsibility activities. There are lots of activities we need to do like litter picks, tree thinning, riverbank repairs, stream enhancements and removal of invasive plant species. We are also helping reduce business environmental impact, particularly trade discharges, misconnections and plastic pollution.

Together we’ll create a better-quality wildlife-friendly environment for businesses and their employees. We’ll improve business awareness of opportunities for restoring nature and reducing flood risk too. This project will see WRT working alongside Durham Wildlife Trust (DWT) and their Naturally Native Project (NNP) with the longterm aim of helping water voles recolonise the area.

We’re returning to continue the upper channel restoration works we began in 2018 along the whole length of Wapping Burn. We’re also designing wetland/water retention features to intercept road run-off and reduce flood risk to local properties.

We need volunteers to get their feet wet and detect river improvements, by helping with riverfly monitoring across all 3 tributaries.

WRT has engaged with schools in the area, and we’re pleased to announce that Shotton Hall Primary have named us as their charity of the year!