It’s #WorldWormWeek! Running from 23rd – 31st March 2019, Dr Jackie Stroud of Rothamsted is inviting farmers to take part in a big farmland soil assessment as part of #WorldWormWeek. Earthworms are important for healthy soils, helping to improve soil structure, improve nutrient availability, improve drainage, aid organic matter decomposition and improve plant productivity. Healthy soils, means healthier catchments and better water quality – win win! To find out more about how you can get involved, read this article by…

European Eels have experienced huge declines in the past 20 years and are now classed as Critically Endangered. They have a fascinating life-cycle travelling between freshwater rivers, such as those here in South Cumbria, back out to sea covering huge distances to spawn and then back to our rivers as juveniles (or glass eels). It is thought that eels migrate to the Sargasso sea to spawn, however, we still don’t know where they actually spawn. Research led by the Environment Agency…

In 2017 a new Cumbria Strategic Flood Partnership was formed, bringing together the flood risk management authorities, including the Environment Agency, Cumbria County Council, District Councils and United Utilities, and a wide range of representatives from other organisations and community groups who have an interest or responsibility for flood risk management. The Cumbria Strategic Floods Partnership (CSFP) is recruiting for an independent chair. Recruitment starts on Monday 11th February and closes on Friday 1st march 2019. Interviews will be held…

Back to Basics with Becks to Bay Who are we? What do we do? How can you help? What’s a catchment partnership? These are some of the questions we know are being asked. We hope our website helps to answer some of these but if not every Wednesday from 4-4.30pm we will be answering your questions on twitter and facebook. Please use  #AskBtoB to join the conversations. We’d love to hear from you! All questions and answers will then be…

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) and Innovation for Agriculture are holding a free event on ‘Making the most of your soils’; an interactive workshop on soil health. There are two events covering our area: 20th Feb at Gilpin Bridge 21st Feb at Bootle For full details please see the relevant posters below Bootle: Enrich Your Soils Event Gilpin Bridge: Making the Most of Your Soils

As 2019 is now upon us we’re turning our attention to what we’d like to achieve in the year ahead. We’re excited by new plans and ideas; as a partnership of organisations we look at whole catchments from the fells to the sea to identify opportunities. Our vision is for: A healthy, sustainable and diverse catchment system, providing a wide range of benefits which are valued by all. Did you know 2019 is the ‘International Year of the Salmon’? We…

Merry Christmas We’d just like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and to thank everyone for their hard work and support this year. As usual 2018 has been a busy year and we’ve packed a lot in from projects & community events to monitoring and future planning. Partners have delivered a number of projects including a partnership project between South Cumbria Rivers Trust and United Utilities to undertake catchment assessments in areas which are to…

South Cumbria Rivers Trust (SCRT), a member of the Becks to Bay partnership, undertake fish surveys across South Cumbria during the summer months. SCRT work in partnership with the Environment Agency, who also undertake fish surveys to ensure resources and coverage are maximised. Data is then shared and used as evidence to drive forward actions within the Catchment Plans. The 2018 Electrofishing Report, alongside previous reports, can be found here. 

The Environment Agency has initiated the first consultation on the draft River Basin Management Plan (RBMP’s) which will be issued in 2021. The RBMP’s provide a framework for protecting and enhancing the water environment. The current North West RBMP was published in February 2016 and must be reviewed and updated by 2021. Starting from this year there will be three consultations which will help the Environment Agency shape the updated plans. This year the ‘working together’ consultation offers the opportunity…

Volunteers at Friends of the Lake District’s mass-volunteering Duddon Fell Care Day event last Thursday 8th November made a significant difference to looking after this special part of the Lake District. Ruth Kirk, organiser of the event said, “It was truly rewarding to see so many happy, tired, smiling, mud-streaked faces at the end of day sharing tales over a brew and a slice of cake (or three!). “Our Fell Care Days bring together people of all ages and abilities…