The Rivers Trusts Movement and the Association of Rivers Trusts

The Rivers Trust Movement…
Rivers trusts have been described as having “wet feet” because they have the reputation of being “doers”, concentrating much of their effort on practical catchment, river and fishery improvement works on the ground. In the history of almost every trust there has been a key trigger leading to their formation. As one might expect, the most common is a growing awareness of the wider environment or concern over the decline of certain key indicator species. In some cases following a pollution event where a successful claim has been made, a decision to form a new trust or similar body is often seen as a most appropriate and effective way forward in order to begin the restoration of the river.

Most rivers trusts start out as riparian, fishing or river associations by combining the use of best available science and data drawn from the Environment Agency etc. and their own resources, usually an energetic band of volunteers from angling clubs and riparian owners in each catchment or river basin. A river association covering the whole catchment provides an excellent means to identify problems and campaign for improvements. Typically though, having identified the problems, a separate and independent organisation with local knowledge and “wet feet” is required to implement solutions and deliver improvements on the ground. 

Why a rivers trust?
A rivers trust is an independent organisation working for the public benefit.  It is readily able to form partnerships without impeding the important campaigning benefit of angling and other interest groups.  It can justifiably expect to gain charitable status, which confers several important benefits not always available to public bodies or vested interest groups.

Of vital importance is the public benefit, which can easily be demonstrated for larger catchments or groups of catchments, but may need greater consideration for smaller rivers and catchments where a few riparian interests may be perceived as deriving disproportionate benefits.  Here angling clubs with wide public membership can be extremely helpful.

Typically, a trust starts with a Board of trustees overseeing and freely offering their time and a wealth of knowledge, covering important aspects of the trust’s activity, including legal, business and accounting, fisheries, agriculture, tourism and education. As the trust develops, the demands on time become more onerous and, funds permitting, the Board will usually take the major step of appointing a small team of professionals, often beginning with a scientist or educationalist. This dedicated team will work very closely with the wider local community, including river owners and land managers, which is the path to success, healthy growth and sustainability. 

Benefits of a rivers trust
The main benefits of a rivers trust with charitable status are broadly:

• It enables the rivers trust to display its charitable credentials, and not for commercial gain, so helping it to become a credible organisation worthy of attracting funds.  Indeed many funding streams are limited to, or directed towards, charitable organisations.
• Charities are well placed to attract public funding grants. Further, private contributions to charitable organisations can be used as matched funding to lever down extra funding through grant aid, which can significantly add to the total amounts available to undertake environmental improvements. On a simple 50% matched funding basis, every £1 in grant couples with £1 from other sources to double the amount to be spent on the project.
• It is exempt from income/corporation tax, and can therefore make full use of its income.
• To be able to take advantage of tax concessions on donations made under Gift Aid.  Additionally, donors do not generally pay inheritance tax on legacies or capital gains tax on assets donated to the charity.

Rivers trust funding
Core funding for rivers trusts, like many charities, is a difficult issue and often there is insufficient riparian owner or angling wherewithal to sustain the work of trusts. As a result, rivers trusts generally need to apply for public funding to enable projects to be pursued and are becoming increasingly adept at matching the needs of the river with that of funding parameters.  Although this leads to some compromise, it creates a spirit of partnership and desire to find sustainable environmental solutions to societal problems.

Of the trusts established so far, where eligible, many have successfully applied for European Union structural funds such as Interreg and Objectives One, Two and 5b or lottery funds. These grant sources, which often require matched funding and involve complex bidding procedures, have allowed many trusts to deliver major programs of physical works and practical, river improvements often in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England or the Countryside Council for Wales. From a government fund-holders position, partnerships like this can provide a very cost-effective conduit for delivery of environmental, social and economic outputs demonstrating strong community stakeholder involvement.

Association of Rivers Trusts (ART)…
The “Association of River Trusts” for England and Wales was launched in 2001 following extensive consultation with existing charitable rivers trusts and other related interests. The need for such a body was a logical extension of the increasing level of liaison that had taken place for some time between established rivers trusts. As a result of the demands placed upon, ART was subsequently incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and granted registered charity status by the Charities Commission in 2004.
 
Trusts now represent catchments across a large part of England and Wales and new ones are continually forming.  In addition, a similar movement is developing in Scotland, and there is excellent co-operation with the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS).

ART Principles Aims and Objectives…

The principles of ART are based on:

• Consent    
• Subsidiarity - where ART will serve its members
• Partnership
• Education and technology transfer

The main aims of ART are, “to co-ordinate, represent and develop the aims and interests of the member Trusts in the promotion of sustainable, holistic and integrated catchment management and sound environmental practices, recognising the wider economic benefits for local communities and the value of education.”

Its objectives are to:

• Represent and promote the Rivers Trust movement nationally and internationally
• Develop best practice protocols, within a framework of sound science, partnership, avoiding duplication, consistency and a matrix approach
• Encourage innovation and the advancement of applied science
• Facilitate funding and working partnerships between Rivers Trusts and other organisations
• Guide and assist rivers trusts in making funding applications, either individually or in partnership with others
• Build capacity and sustainability in the Rivers Trust movement
• Form national and international networks to provide collaborative project and development opportunities for Rivers Trusts
• Guide and support new rivers trust start-ups
• Act as a conduit for communication, information exchange  and technology transfer through projects, seminars, the web-site and e-newsletters
• Promote, guide and support good governance and  issues of common interest to rivers trusts

ART Seminars & Workshops
Since 2002, ART has run biannual national Seminars and Field Visits in the regions, based on applying best practice and science. These have attracted a wide range of organisations with interests in the sector, as well as existing and emerging rivers and fisheries trusts. The mix of delegates has been particularly satisfying, because it provides a great opportunity for communication, discussion and understanding between the various agencies and others, in a non-confrontational and non-political setting. 

Annual Awards and 2008 Awards
ART believes that there has been some outstanding and innovative work undertaken by many people and organisations involved with rivers and their catchments. As a result, since 2004 it has promoted a prestigious Annual Awards Dinner, “in recognition of excellence and achievement”, to reward contribution to the growing Rivers Trusts Movement and provide funds for related charitable projects.

Award for Contribution to Science
Sponsored by Atlantic Salmon Trust (including a cheque for £1,000)
Presented by Neil McKerrow, Commercial Director, Atlantic Salmon Trust
Prof Stuart Lane (Durham University) - Linking hydrological connectivity of land to fisheries

Award for Contribution to Best Fisheries Project with Environmental Improvements
Sponsored by Salmon & Trout Association (including a cheque for £2,000)
Presented by Bridget Peacock, Riverfly Partnership
Ballinderry Fish Hatchery (Mark Horton) - Pioneering and developing low-profile spawning fords

ACA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Volunteer
Sponsored by ART and ACA (including a cheque for £1,000)
Presented by Mark Lloyd, Director, ACA)
Fred French (NAFAC) - Championing the collective approach across angling disciplines

Public Sector Award
Presented by Ian Gregg, Chairman, ART
Martin Stark (EA) - Promotion of the EA - ART strategic partnership for regional benefit
Chris Uttley (CCW) - Support of rivers trusts in Wales
Ben Wilson (EA) - Support of rivers trusts in Wales

ART Special Award for Contribution to the Rivers Trust Movement
Including a cheque for £1,000
Presented by Ian Gregg, Chairman, ART
(The late) Chris Littlefield (Lune) - Testimony to his volunteer work leading to the formation of Lune RT

ART Funding…  
ART has been fortunate to receive support and assistance from a number of areas to date including the Dulverton Trust, Environment Agency, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Fishmongers’ Company, WWF in partnership with HSBC, Mazars Charitable Trust, Atlantic Salmon Trust, Salmon & Trout Association, Water UK and membership subscriptions. It also successfully bid for EU Interreg IIIC funds under the Union des Terres de Rivieres project, which is a European networking project involving 24 partners in 10 EU countries and has submitted applications under the EU Interreg IV programme.

ART’s Future…
The Rivers Trust movement is a bottom up grassroots development, initiated by a number of different community groups from around the country working independently to form Trusts. The formation of ART is simply a natural response to mature trusts wishing to share information and work more closely together to help others and provide synergy.

There is an increasing awareness of the importance of rivers for wildlife and of managing catchments and their ecosystems as environmental and ecological service providers. ART provides an opportunity to assist, influence and develop this in a positive way.  Improving the river corridor and surrounding catchment is a complex process involving Government Departments, its Agencies and many other diverse organisations.

It is clear that there is a need for a voice to act at a national level to complement regional initiatives and to provide a focus for issues of common interest, such as technical protocols and governance.  In addition, ART is dedicated to providing guidance to new and emerging trusts on setting up, pulling together and making the best use of the experience of others, and making the best use of limited resources. ART is committed to building capacity in member trusts, thus maintaining its “bottom-up” philosophy, and seeing a growing and vibrant network of “individually motivated” local/regional trusts across the whole of England & Wales, not just in the traditional salmonid areas.

The Trust provides an important link between the established, and the new and emerging Rivers and Fisheries Trusts. It also provides a forum to develop ideas, Best Practice and policy guidance and test transferability. Furthermore it offers a national platform for regional Trusts to “showcase” their work, allowing them to inform and give enthusiasm to others, giving advice and encouragement and ultimately, empowerment, “thinking globally and acting locally”.

Equally important is for ART to be outward looking in order to learn from the experience and culture of others, particularly in mainland Europe and USA and provide a gateway for future EU and international funding for the direct or indirect benefit of all our rivers trusts.

For further information please contact:

Arlin Rickard (Director)
Email: arlin@associationofriverstrusts.org.uk

Alistair Maltby (Director - North)
Email: alistair@associationofriverstrusts.org.uk

Archie Ruggles-Brise(Manager South and East)
Email: archie@associationofriverstrusts.org.uk

Alan Hawken (Secretary)
Email: alan@associationofriverstrusts.org.uk