Latest News!

Written by Administrator | 17 June 2011

Recent News and Press Releases:

• JANUARY 2012 - Battle Plans Drawn Up - The ‘Cumbria Freshwater Biosecurity Plan’, produced through the Cumbria Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species (CFINNS) Initiative has been launched publically today.

• OCTOBER 2011 - New use for coppice brash? - A chance conversation at the Holker Garden Festival may have led to a use for previously discarded brash, a by-product of coppicing South Lakeland’s extensive woodlands.

• JUNE 2011 - Offenders help to transform River Kent banks - Over the coming months, Cumbria Probation Trust offenders are to undertake 20 days of unpaid work to remove Himalayan balsam from along the river banks below Kendal.

• JUNE 2011 - SCRT will be hosting the 2011 'All Englan Open Stone Skimming Championships' in July. More information can be seen if you CLICK HERE. We hope to see many of you having a skim as there are prizes to be won!

• MAY 2011 - Sad news...  Fred French MBE.   The Trustees of South Cumbria Rivers Trust would like to express their deep sadness at the loss of their friend, patron and fellow Trustee, Fred French, who passed away recently.  Mark Southern, Chairman of SCRT said “ Fred will be greatly missed. He has encouraged, supported and guided the work of the Trust from its very earliest days and his contribution to    the care and enhancement of the water environment has been immense. He will be best remembered as a strong voice championing fisheries and the conservation cause. As a communicator he was second to none and his passing will leave an unfillable gap.” SCRT would like to pass on their sincere condolences to Fred’s family and friends.

• MAY 2011 - South Cumbria Rivers Trust is seeking new photographs from budding photographers and amateur snappers! We are looking for images depicting the special nature of the freshwater environments of South Cumbria that would light up our new information leaflet.  Find out how to enter here.

• MAY 2011 - Rivers Trusts in Cumbria join to take a pledge - The four Rivers Trusts in Cumbria have joined forces and have taken a pledge to play their part in protecting Cumbria’s freshwaters from invasive non-native species.

• SCRT Spring 2011 Newsletter is now available here for you to read.  Find out about projects and events happening around South Cumbria.

• MAY AND JUNE 2011 - sees the annual 'Experience the River' education initiative.  Philippa McMurdo and Angie Mitchell will working with 6 primary schools in South Cumbria giving them a taste of the river environment exploring the fascinating and strange goings on of life under water. They will then create their own piece of artwork to share their findings with others.  Watch this space for some of their work to come.....

•  APRIL 2011 - We would like to thank Chris Potts and Chris Preston for their contributions and efforts to the Trust over the years as we see them retire from their roles as Treasurer and Trustee for the Trust. 

• MARCH 2011- Support wanted for new campaign -A national campaign is about to be launched to protect Britain’s waters from infestation by invasive non-native species. The campaign is targeted at recreational users of freshwaters and calls upon anglers, boaters, paddlers and walkers to follow three simple preventative procedures:CHECK CLEAN DRY. 

• FEBRUARY 2011 - Prevention is cheaper than cure - An article in the Telegraph last week describes how British Waterways are to spend £250,000 on a project in West Berkshire to seal banks with plastic in a bid to stop canal sides from collapsing. The cause of the bank collapse is the invasive American
  signal crayfish.

• DECEMBER 2010 - Eel Valve Flaps in Tide Doors -  South Cumbria Rivers Trust has recently completed imortant eel and fish pass improvement work on two south Cumbrian rivers.
  

• NOVEMBER 2010 - Cumbria's Crayfish now on Endangered List - South Cumbria Rivers Trust has expressed concern this week following the announcement of the worrying reclassification of the UK's only native freshwater crayfish. The white-clawed crayfish is now listed as 'Endangered' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Treatened Species.

• OCTOBER 2010 - SCRT Launches New Website - This week sees the launch of the brand new South Cumbria Rivers Trust website. The website has been redesigned with an updated, interactive and more user-freindly look achieved in collaboration with Mirefoot Web Design.

• SEPTEMBER 2010 - SCRT Appoints New Manger  - South Cumbria Rivers Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Trust Manager. Pete Evoy commenced work as the new Manager on 13th September 2010, based in the SCRT office at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Plumgarths.

• JULY 2010 - Forces Joined To Control Aliens In Cumbria -Organisations in Cumbria have joined forces in the fight to control alien invasions. The Cumbria Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species Initiative was launched in April this year and involves major stakeholders from around the county.

• APRIL 2010 - Aliens Beware! - Freshwater invasive species are to be targeted as a Cumbria-wide Initiative is launched this week. The Environment Agency, Natural England and DEFRA are amoungst contributors who have made this initiative possible.