Our River Wellbeing: Nature Based Solutions in the Dee Catchment

The focus of this project spans the entire Dee catchment in North Wales including several rivers, lakes and reservoirs. The area encompasses five local authorities, the National Park and includes several designated land areas. 

Covering both urban and rural communities, the quality of the natural resources in the catchment can impact on a large number of people. There are numerous challenges facing the catchment from flooding, soil erosion and water quality issues through to long term unemployment and social deprivation. Recognising this, the project aims to take actions to improve the natural resources across the catchment and in doing so provide opportunities for people, including long term unemployed and disabled individuals, to learn about and actively take part in land management improvements. The project will develop a ‘River Guardian Scheme’ to help achieve this. 

The project has already developed a group of collaborating organisations including Dee Valley AONB, Natural Resources Wales, Wildlife Trusts, the Clwydian range and National Park. The main land management activities will be based around helping to improve the non native invasive species problem across the whole catchment that is having a huge impact on the quality of the natural resources and the services these provide. Through a comprehensive baseline survey the project will then be able to focus and prioritise its activities to tackle this challenge.