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28 June 2010
The History behind South Cumbria Rivers Trust
The Trust began it's early formation in 2000. There was concern over the state of the fishery within the rivers Leven and Crake. Research and monitoring by the Environment Agency showed that the stocks of migrating Salmon were perilously low. Anglers who were already aware of this had a self imposed catch and release rule. The Environment Agency enforced this under a bylaw review on both rivers in 2001.
Anglers and other others concerned about the conservation of the aquatic environment therefore decided to work together to see whether they could do anything to assist the recovery of these important catchments. In 2001 they formed the Leven and Crake Conservation Trust, which shortly afterwards became known as the Windermere and Coniston Conservation Trust. Made up of purely volunteers many habitat improvements schemes were carried out on both catchments and grants were obtained to help pay for the material costs.
It became evident that there was also a interest in the work being carried out by other catchments and so the catchment area was increased to include the rivers Bela, Kent and Duddon and all the still waters, smaller rivers and streams between.
In March 2006 the Trust became the South Cumbria Rivers Trust and was formally incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and also a registered charity. By 2007, they had taken on their first employee, Ben Lamb, who was the first Trust manager, who was based at the Cumbria Wildlife's offices at Plumgarths, Kendal. Ben has moved on to another Rivers Trust and Peter Evoy, formerly of the Environment Agency has taken on that role. The Trust also has taken on the responsibility to host the Cumbria wide Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species Initiative Coordinator and Bekka Close has taken on that role on behalf of the Trust. It is hoped more project officers are taken on as we progress the work of the Trust.
Our Area
The area covered by South Cumbria Rivers Trust includes all catchments that drain off the Lake District fells into Morecambe Bay. These are:
- Two major catchments, the Kent and the Leven (including Windermere)
- Three medium ones, the Bela, the Crake (including Coniston Water) and the Duddon
- Twelve other minor catchments that enter the sea separately that have their own runs of Salmon and Sea Trout
The area compromises 2300 km of watercourse and 28km2 of still water.
Much of this habitat has been considerably degraded by human activities over the last 200 years, while some remains in a tolerably natural state. Given the importance of this area we must prevent further degradation and we must rehabilitate where possible.
Our area has a particularly high environmental and landscape value which is reflected in the number of designated areas.
- Two thirds of the area is within the Lake District National Park
- An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the southern shore of the Kent Estuary (Arnside and Silverdale)
- Morecambe Bay is of international nature conservation importance for waterfowl and is designated a Special Protection Area, marine Special Area of Conservation and Ramsar site, as well as being a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
- It contains eight other Special Areas of Conservation, 79 Sties of Special Scientific Interest and many Sites of importance of Nature Conservation
