Advising land managers
As a charity focused on delivering solutions, it is critical to our success that we have the best possible engagement with the farmers, land managers, and riparian owners who are directly connected to the rivers that we aim to protect and the catchments that surround them.
The Rivers Trust movement has always been committed to working with the agricultural community to improve land management, supporting businesses to be more sustainable and reducing the impact on the river environment. This is more important than ever, as many businesses and farmers are committing to regenerating the landscapes where they work.
Across the movement, we have a growing network of 60+ farm advisors offering expert, confidential advice, to engage, inform and inspire farmers and landowners. We offer tools and demonstrations of best practice, together with incentives including private and public sector funding support, where possible. We help farmers regenerate land and replenish their local water resources.
In 2022-23
Farmers worked with
farmers received essential support and advice from our local Trusts in 2022-23
As part of our extensive work with the land management community, and in partnership with Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF), we developed the Pinpoint training programme and factsheets to provide training and support to Rivers Trust staff and other relevant organisations so that they, in turn, can provide good advice and support to farmers to help reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture.
In addition to working directly with farmers, we also work closely with Defra to help inform the direction of the new Environmental Land Management Scheme. This aims to ensure farmers receive the funding and support they require to ensure we meet the goals set out in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. This includes public goods and services, as well as targets for carbon net-zero and Natural Capital net gain, alongside sustainable high quality food production.
We are the lead delivery partner for the Courtauld Commitment 2025 commitment for collaborative action on water. Through this commitment, we are working with retailers, brands and agri-food companies, to support their ambitions around water, soil health and biodiversity and specifically enabling collaborative action at a catchment scale, and to ultimately reduce their impact associated with water stress and water use.
