Cotswolds Rivers Trust, caring for and conserving the wild brown trout rivers of the Cotswolds ANOB
Cotswolds Rivers Trust
Conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the Thames tributaries rising within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Cotswolds Rivers Trust is a charity run by unpaid volunteers. We formed in March 2011 to ensure that the Cotswolds rivers are fully included in the implementation of the EU's Water Framework Directive. This directive required all of the UK's rivers to achieve good ecological status by 2015. An outline of the directive can be found here: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33362.aspx The document is now in the Environment Agency archive. The Environment Agency continues to focus on water quality, maintaining and improving our rivers nationally. More information is available on their web site here .
Our income is derived entirely from grants, donations and subscriptions and we use this to implement physical improvements to the Cotswolds rivers and to campaign for improvements, e.g. by reducing damaging abstraction. We also aim to educate people about "how rivers work" and the value of healthy rivers as living ecosystems.
We are pleased to be supported by:
The Rivers Trust
Cotswold Flyfishers
Whitley Stimpson
Andy Grey Flyfishing
The Cotswolds Conservation Board
The Wild Trout Trust
The Cotswolds Rivers Trust is a company registered in England & Wales. Registered No. 7568224.
Registered Charity Number 1150357.
Make sure to check out the news section to stay up to date
17/09/2023
Drinkable Rivers Picnic, Midday
Source of the Thames Kemble, Cirencester GL7 6NY. Contact Debbie Campbell for more info.
31/08/2023
Riverfly Workshop, Wednesday, 20th September, Bampton
OX18 2NE. Details and Poster.
14/07/2023
New links page added, many new resources can be found here
11/05/2023
Cotswolds Rivers Trust is looking to appoint a Trust Manager. Download the details here, or visit the News page.
15-08-2022
Key issues for the rivers trust
The State of the Cotswolds Rivers
Raw Sewage
Habitat loss
Pollution
Flooding
Drought and over extraction
Climate change
Caring for the Cotswolds Rivers
As the trust develops we will work to engage with our community to inspire the young to appreciate the river environment; to understand the importance of river wildlife and to promote citizen science. We will focus on the maintenance of naturalised waterways and on the surveying and monitoring of our rivers for species diversity and water health. A particular focus is the River Windrush, where there are longstanding issues of sewerage pollution.
Conservation of Cotswold Rivers
Conservation initiatives include the River Windrush Project, where we are hiring a part-time project officer to engage with owners, farmers, residents and the local water company to promote good river husbandry in the face of extensive river pollution. We also monitor other initiatives supported by organisations such as the Environment Agency, where we can learn and adopt best practice and innovative ideas for rivers enhancement and conservation.
Funding initiatives
The trust is reliant on central and local government grants, commercial sponsorship, government and non-governmental agencies for the majority of our funding. We hope to offer a membership initiative in the near future.
Charitable objects
(1) To conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the rivers, streams, watercourses and water impoundments of the catchments comprising the Thames tributaries located within the Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty, for the advancement of environmental protection or improvement for the benefit of the public. (2) To advance the education of the public, or any association, institution, voluntary organisation, company, local authority, administrative or governmental agency or public body or representative body in: - (a) the understanding of rivers, river corridors and river catchments, including their fauna, flora, biodiversity, economic or social activity, and river catchment management. (b) the need for, and benefits of, conservation, protection, rehabilitation and improvement of aquatic environments.
