Partnership marks ten years of work to improve local rivers  

The Dales to Vale Rivers Network (DVRN) is marking ten years of partnership work and environmental improvements across several local rivers.

Formed in 2013, DVRN has worked with over 90 local and national groups and organisations to oversee water and environmental management across the Swale, Ure, Nidd, Ouse, Foss, Wiske and Wharfe river catchment areas. 

DVRN partners have successfully delivered a number of environmental improvements across the region such as riparian tree planting to boost biodiversity and natural flood management, reducing farm runoff to ensure cleaner water, and restoring some of Yorkshire’s most modified rivers.  

Now some of the partners involved in these projects will come together at an event on Thursday 16 November to celebrate DVRN’s achievements and hear more about the success of the network’s collaborative, catchment-scale approach to water and environmental management. The event, to be hosted at Gracious Street Methodist Church in Knaresborough, will also see the launch of DVRN’s ambitious future plans for nature and the environment. 

Commenting on the 10-year anniversary of DVRN, Charlotte Simons, Senior Catchment Partnerships Officer, said: “ Over the last ten years we have worked in partnership to improve our rivers and this celebration is about recognising all the projects delivered and the resulting benefits for our rivers and to say a big “Thank You” to everyone who has been involved.  The vision of the partnership is to have Healthy rivers, abundant wildlife, valued by communities. Working in partnership we will move forward to take our rivers from surviving to thriving” 

National partners in the network include Natural England, Yorkshire Dales National Park, The Woodland Trust, and the National Trust.  

Commenting on the partnership aspect of DVRN’s work, Rachel Forsyth, Yorkshire Dales Countryside Manager at the National Trust, said: “As custodians of some of the best-loved and most visited natural landscapes in the north of England, National Trust has very ambitious commitments to improving the environment for everyone, including a significant amount of work on our river catchments. Working with the Dales to Vales Rivers Network over the last decade has enabled us to combine knowledge and expertise with numerous other partners to ensure the region's rivers are cleaner and better for the natural environment than ever before.” 

To find out more about DVRN’s work over the last 10 years, and their plans for the future, visit dvrn.org.uk