Nature And Landscape

Re-Connecting & Reviving the Caldew Phase 1: Farmer collaboration to improve water management and wildlife

This project will lay the foundations for the long-term, sustainable restoration of the watercourses in the Upper River Caldew in Cumbria; a remote and often-overlooked corner of the Lake District National Park. By building new relationships and deepening existing ones, we will build a shared understanding of riparian conservation between Eden Rivers Trust (ERT), local farmers, catchment management partners, and the wider rural community. Together, we will co-develop proposals to reconnect, restore, and rejuvenate these watercourses—enhancing their resilience to climate change and safeguarding the area’s freshwater heritage for future generations. The project will have a three-fold legacy: i) Farmers, ERT, and community partners are united; committing to a suite of river restoration and water management projects that complement farm businesses; ii) a pipeline of smaller projects fully developed and ready for delivery; and iii) more ambitious restoration proposals prepared for feasibility studies, setting up medium- and long-term implementation.