We are Wear Rivers Trust!
Our goal is to protect, improve and help manage the land and water ways of the Wear Catchment, to benefit all who live, work and play in the region.
We focus on improving the environment of our urban and rural communities, using nature based solutions to problems like pollution, flooding and habitat loss.
We raise awareness of the value of the River Wear, including its flora, fauna, social and economic benefits. We help people to understand the need for conservation and restoration, and promote exploration and enjoyment of this precious resource.
Our Work
We work on a range of projects with many different partners throughout the River Wear catchment.
From fish and river fly monitoring to green engineering works, from managing diffuse heavy metal pollution to working with farmers.
We at the Wear Rivers Trust bring a wealth of specialist expertise and also benefit greatly from the knowledge and skills of our partners.
Catchment Management
The River Wear has many different industries and land uses throughout its catchment area and as the recipient of rainfall, surface water runoff and groundwater fed springs, its health is often determined by management activities which have taken place above or below ground and sometimes well away from any visible watercourses.
Protecting the health of the river therefore requires an integrated multidisciplinary approach which often involves representatives from many different sectors including local authorities, academia, landowners, water companies, local businesses, communities and recreation clubs.
By focusing on effective partnership working and developing grass roots projects with local communities which work with natural processes rather than against them, the trust has been able to develop and deliver a wide range of projects tackling issues including rural diffuse pollution, mine water pollution, non-native invasive species, urban runoff, flooding, habitat degradation and connectivity, groundwater protection and more.
Community Engagement
The Wear Rivers Trust could not achieve what is has and what it aims to achieve in the future without the assistance of its dedicated network of volunteers. Volunteers bring a diverse range of skills and experience to our organisation, helping us to deliver conservation objectives that would be unachievable without them. We offer a variety of volunteer roles for both individuals and groups. You don’t have to know anything about rivers, fish or wildlife to volunteer with us; all we ask is that you share our goal of wanting to improve and conserve the River Wear catchment.
Engaging with communities is essential for achieving and sustaining improvements to watercourses within the Wear catchment. We always aim to involve the community in every watercourse improvement we undertake, instilling a sense of pride and ownership in a watercourse within the local community is the only truly sustainable way to achieve long term improvements for a watercourse. Bringing the community together to focus on making local watercourses better places for all to enjoy is vital to ensure a continuing legacy of care and improvement for them.