A new citizen-science initiative called “Rivers to Reef” is launching in Yorkshire to protect rivers right from their source areas in the hills, down to the moorlands where they feed into the North Sea.

Yorkshire’s rivers are the largest freshwater contributor to the North Sea, making them internationally significant for conservation. 

But, the ecological condition of many of these estuaries has been classified as “unfavourable” for more than a decade, with vital habitats like saltmarsh, seagrass, and shellfish beds in decline.

Developed in partnership with Aire Rivers Trust, the Yorkshire Derwent Catchment Partnership and supported by Yorkshire Water, the new initiative to improve them will expand citizen science across the county.

The movement is set to introduce standardised water-quality monitoring to track pollutants and identify hotspots; organise co-ordinated water sampling across Yorkshire twice a year, a “Water Quality Blitz”; and support community-led litter surveys to measure and reduce river and coastal debris.

The organisers of Rivers to Reef have also said that they want to empower individuals to take practical steps at home and in their communities to protect Yorkshire’s waterways. 

This includes simple actions, such as binning fats and oils instead of pouring them down the drain; correctly disposing of wet wipes; using wash bags or natural fibres to reduce microfibre pollution; planting buffer strips to limit agricultural run-off, and choosing water-safe flea and tick treatments.

The project’s organisers believe small, individual actions taking place across a wide interconnected area can create the all-important change needed to improve our waterways.

“Rivers to Reef is about giving everyone, from families to local communities, the chance to make a real, visible difference,” said Martin Slater, Deputy CEO at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

“We all rely on our rivers and seas, yet pollution from everyday life is quietly harming them. By working together, we can restore life to our waterways and leave a legacy of clean, thriving waters for generations to come,” said Rachel Forsyth, Chief Executive at the Aire Rivers Trust.

Click here for more from the Oceanographic Newsroom