Rivers Trust development continues apace, nowhere more exciting than in Wales where a £20k grant from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and £5k from Dulverton Trust together with ART funds has been matched by Welsh Assembly Government, giving a huge boost to new Rivers Trust start ups and paves the way for community river restoration in Wales.
In less than two years, active Rivers Trusts in Wales have expanded from 2 - the Wye & Usk Foundation and Pembrokeshire Rivers Trust - into 7, with the Teifi Rivers Trust, Carmarthenshire Rivers Trust, Conwy & Clwyd Rivers Trust, South East Wales Rivers Trusts and a rejuvenated River Dee Trust joining the growing movement.
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| Arlin Rickard, ART's Director, presents a cheque to Donald Patterson of the Teifi Rivers Trust |
Arlin Rickard, ART’s Director, says “We now have the exciting prospect of Rivers Trusts providing national coverage in Wales, which greatly enhances Rivers Trusts’ ability to deliver environmental improvements working in partnership with the EA, CCW and Welsh Assembly Government for the benefit of communities across the Principality.”
A bottom-up approach has been and remains ART’s cornerstone principle. This has meant that local communities are at the centre of each Trust and experience has shown us that most will take considerable time to develop from start-up, based on volunteers, into operational trusts employing staff. However in Wales faster development of Trusts was necessary to build capacity and get them into a position confidently to bid for the new EU structural funding opportunities currently or shortly to be available and emulate the success of Wye & Usk and Pembrokeshire in a much shorter time-frame. With the vision and support of Stephen Marsh-Smith (Wye & Usk), John Stoner (Pembrokeshire), Graeme Harris and Chris Uttley (CCW) , Andy Schofield and Ben Wilson (EA Wales) and Allyn Davies (Welsh Assembly Government) ART committed to the ambitious target of facilitating the creation of new Rivers Trusts to achieve national coverage across Wales. The formation of 5 new Trusts in just over a year surpassed all our expectations and leaves a fast diminishing area yet to be covered. Accordingly ART’s Wales Steering Group and partners have now adjusted priority support towards capacity building and sustainability at the individual Trust level, and have been joined by Frank Jones (ex-WEFO) to assist on the funding stream opportunities and bid writing.
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| Pembrokeshire Coast |
The River Wye at Erwood |
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As a result, we are in the midst of a consolidation project and, with the superb support of the EA Wales, Welsh Assembly Government and CCW, the Welsh Trusts are steadily proceeding towards determining the direction they each want to take and the most suitable structure to meet their objects and serve the best interests of their own catchment. In addition, we have another two potential trusts in embryonic form “waiting in the wings”.
Summing up, Arlin Rickard says “The grants from Esmée Fairbairn and Dulverton Trust were essential to match and draw down Welsh Assembly Government funds and have made all the difference in this start up phase. The grants of at least £8k to each of the 5 new Trusts launched have been instrumental in ensuring that local community led catchment-scale rivers trusts are capable of delivering real environmental improvements. The grant support has also enabled ART to engage John Stoner and Frank Jones to facilitate project development and bid for forthcoming EU funding streams. We are extremely grateful for all their hard work. There will undoubtedly be highs and lows, but we are convinced that ultimately rivers in Wales and Welsh communities will benefit, which will be a fine legacy for ART and our funders.”
