Volunteers play an important role in assessing the health of rivers through riverfly surveying. Riverflies, such as mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies, are a major indicator of the quality of a water course as they are highly sensitive to pollution and changes in temperature. If water quality declines, many riverfly species are among the first creatures to disappear. The impact of this year’s extreme temperatures and drought conditions is becoming evident through reductions in riverfly populations. Our work helps identify issues and address them.

Working with farmers, landowners and local communities, our work is providing advice as well as practical conservation support, to improve water quality, remove invasive plants that can choke a watercourse, improve habitats for wildlife, and help mitigate the effects of flooding. Good management of soils and water on farms can have a huge benefit to rivers.

We know that keeping water for longer in our landscape is vital for both wildlife and the environment. Measures that slow the flow and hold back water help create wetlands, improve resilience to drought, reduce wildfire risk, and support a wealth of wildlife throughout the year. At Strawberry Hill we’ve created a series of ‘leaky dams’ on the Willow Stream. These slow the movement of water through the reserve, helping retain more water on site and creating better conditions for a range of wildlife.