July 2, 2026
Much of Norfolk’s rivers and wetlands are at breaking point.
From pollution and degraded habitats to the impacts of climate change and declining biodiversity, a multitude of pressures are putting our freshwater ecosystems at serious risk. These vital spaces – which both support local wildlife and our communities - need urgent action.
Our Strategy to 2030 sets out how we’re tackling this challenge head on. Over the next four years, we will scale our impact further - moving faster, thinking bigger, and bringing together organisations and communities united by a common cause.
Building on more than a decade of practical, science‑led work, our strategy brings together the solutions we know make a real difference: restoring habitats, tackling pollution, recovering priority species, supporting water‑sensitive farming and expanding our network of volunteers and citizen scientists. At the heart of it all is a deep commitment to help more people connect with, and care for, their local rivers.
This strategy is our roadmap to a healthier, more resilient future for Norfolk’s freshwater habitats. Grounded in our core values of impact, collaboration, integrity and evidence, it captures our bold and pioneering determination to protect the rivers and wetlands that define our special county.
Norfolk Rivers Trust welcomed the opportunity to respond to Natural England’s consultation on the draft Norfolk Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP).
Make a difference by developing projects that enhance river habitats, improve biodiversity, reduce flood risk and support communities.
Take part in this autumn's Big River Watch and help survey your river from 18–24 September 2026.
_resize.jpg)
The scenes of dead fish on the River Wensum and elsewhere in Norfolk over recent weeks have been awful to see. Yes, the immediate cause is low oxygen levels after a hot summer and very little rain - but the deeper truth is that our rivers are in trouble. What we’re seeing is the result of long-term damage, and it’s a warning we can’t ignore.
To demonstrate both the challenges and benefits of using strip-tillage machinery, we developed a case study with input from three farmers across Norfolk to document their experiences, especially regarding their soil health concerns.
The efforts of our citizen scientists have supported the creation of a dataset that helps identify effective restoration measures and tackle pollution. This data has now enabled us to build a public dashboard where anyone can access and explore real-time water quality information, understand what the results mean, and see how conditions change over time.
We use Email Octopus as our marketing platform. By clicking subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Email Octopus for processing.
