Our work for rivers and wetlands
We have made rivers a priority for the next decade with a target of restoring 100km of river by 2030.
Working with planners, developers and farmers we are planning to carry out river restoration projects, reintroduce new species to improve water management, carry out natural flood management work to reduce flooding and ensure our wetlands are sensitively managed for the benefit of the plants and animals they hold and people who depend upon them.
Rivers are motorways for wildlife, providing corridors down which species can travel between habitats. Cheshire waterways support many species of fish, including brown trout, eel, stickleback, pike, grayling, roach, perch and salmon. Charismatic otters patrol the riverbanks at night, water voles plop into the water from their burrows, and metallic kingfishers skim the water’s surface.
As well as supporting a variety of wildlife, wetlands also have an economic value – not only to the thousands of people who live on their edge, but also to communities living miles away. They are important sources for food, fresh water and building materials, and also provide valuable services such as water purification, flood defence and erosion control.
For centuries people have had a relationship with the water. It has been used to navigate through town and country, provide power, irrigate the land for agriculture and as inspiration for art and literature. And yet, these habitats have been in serious decline – waters have been polluted with chemicals, bank habitats stripped and modified, dams built and wetland wildlife has been lost.
Find out more about our work delivering Living Rivers and Wetlands
Our news
Dam good news for Cheshire’s beaver family!
Cheshire Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce the arrival of three new beaver kits born at Hatchmere Nature Reserve near Delamere…
Beaver babies in Cheshire for the first time in over 400 years!
Cheshire Wildlife Trust are delighted to announce that a new young beaver has been spotted at Hatchmere Nature Reserve in Delamere. This…
Cheshire beavers thriving at Hatchmere Nature Reserve
Thursday 7th April marks National Beaver Day and what better day to remind ourselves that Cheshire has its very own pair of Eurasian…
Cheshire Wildlife Trust welcome golden opportunity for beavers to be wild
Cheshire Wildlife Trust welcome the launch of a consultation by the Government today, which asks the public if they want to see beavers…
Water quality improvements underway at Hatch Mere
Cheshire Wildlife Trust is working to improve the water quality of Hatch Mere lake.
Gowy Meadows in March 2018
Our guest blogger Gowy D'Amus reports the sightings for March at Gowy Meadows.