We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been awarded funding from the Heritage Fund to investigate the decline of water crowfoot in the River Wye and River Usk. We hope our work will help efforts to recover this key species. Read all about it: friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/news/heritag...

Our latest newsletter is out featuring opportunities to work with us at Friends of the River Wye, plus C4 drama Dirty Business, legal challenges on the Wye taken by River Action and Fish Legal and more… Please subscribe if you don’t already! mailchi.mp/69987df9d60b...

Hello—Is a River Alive? is published in paperback in the UK today. It’s dedicated to the rivers & their guardians. Thanks to all who’ve supported its journey into the world: read it, talked about it, got in touch. It’s @waterstones.bsky.social book of the month. “Hope is the thing with rivers…”

Would you like to work with Friends of the River Wye? We’re recruiting for 3 different part-time roles. If you’re passionate about cleaning up our rivers and determined to make a difference, we want to hear from you. friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/news/were-hi...

Our Co-Chair Nicola Cutcher was on BBC Hereford & Worcester radio this morning discussing the impact of brilliant new C4 drama ‘Dirty Business’. Listen to the segment from 2 hours 39 minutes, with Nicola joining at 2 hours 44 minutes… www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

If you see soil running off fields and onto roads or into rivers, please report it. Soil is a major source of river pollution. Use our RUN-OFF REPORTER to alert the authorities and help keep soil on land and out of our rivers.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨 River Action has launched a legal challenge against Natural Resources Wales (NRW) after it approved three poultry mega-farm expansions in the Wye and Severn river catchments.. 🧵1/2 riveractionuk.com/news/river-a...

Our latest newsletter is out - celebrating 50,000 samples by citizen scientists and sharing other developments relevant to the Wye, from Westminster to Oklahoma. Read all about it & subscribe if you’re not signed up already… mailchi.mp/d091960e301b...

There is huge local effort in North Herefordshire to tackle agricultural pollution in the Wye & Lugg - but we need proper government support for the solutions local people want: farmer-led landscape recovery projects; more funding and teeth for the EA, and a WPZ for the Wye.

Excellent letter from three of our Wye MPs! Look forward to the Minister’s response

BREAKING! Wow. Citizen scientists across the Wye catchment have now taken over 50,000 samples and tested them for water quality. What a phenomenal show of people power. Read all about it: friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/news/wye-cit...

Both short river films here are well worth watching 👇

EA has unveiled long-awaited Diffuse Water Pollution Plan for River Wye SAC - this will fail to rescue the river. Louise Bodnar, Voice of the River Wye, “This is a Death Warrant for the Wye, it’s sickening that those with power to help the river choose not to.” www.herefordtimes.com/news/2570358...

"Just as water companies are rightly on the hook for dumping sewage, big agribusinesses should be forced to clean up their act." @philip-ciwf.bsky.social calls on the Government to hold major polluters to account. Read his article in the @scotsman.com. ⬇️

Do you remember the River Wye blooming with white flowers? Can you dig out your old photos of water crowfoot? Please join our Big Ranunculus Watch!

Our latest newsletter is out! Featuring some key developments on the River Wye, our meeting with MPs, art by Jim Murray, a Clean Water Bill for Wales and more! mailchi.mp/4dfa77402993...

Actor, artist and activist Jim Murray is selling some extraordinary paintings which he made in collaboration with the River Wye - and he's kindly offering to donate a share of those profits to Friends of the River Wye! Read all about it… friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/news/jim-mur...

Extremely useful meeting this morning with cross-party River Wye MPs and campaigners to discuss next steps to tackle pollution. There is so much more that needs to be done, especially considering the disappointing Diffuse Water Pollution Plan published last week. Determined to keep up work on this!

We had a brilliant and productive meeting in Hereford this morning with three of our MPs representing the River Wye catchment. Huge thanks to @catherinefookesmp.bsky.social @elliechowns.bsky.social & David Chadwick. Lots of action to come to tackle flooding & river pollution.

Report Run Off here… fantastic tool 👏 from @friendsriverwye.bsky.social

Our latest newsletter is out & launches our RUN-OFF REPORTER. We need soil on land, not in our rivers. If you spot spoil running off fields and into watercourses or onto roads, please report it. Healthy soil is also our best defence against flooding! mailchi.mp/44dbe537d6be...

Our latest newsletter is out! It covers the expose of Red Tractor, the Wye legal case and shares three new films - plus more…. Read it here and click the link to subscribe to our monthly mailing list. mailchi.mp/e0d20b9c272c...

📢 Tell your supermarket to call out Red Tractor! We’ve uncovered the muck behind the Red Tractor mark — and it stinks. 💩 💬 Contact your supermarket TODAY and tell them to take stock and pave the way for robust environmental standards on their products. 🛒 ✅ ➡️ bit.ly/42G6YQV #UpYourStandards

Huge news! Red Tractor = false advertising. I broke this original story in The Times over 2 years ago…. And River Action took it to the Advertising Standards Authority

Emerging young filmmaker Mykyta Osadchyi has made a compelling 25 minute documentary about the River Wye. It gives an excellent overview of the issues and our campaign to save the Wye. Here’s a trailer, but you can watch the full film on YouTube here: youtu.be/i45B-NfPr-4?...

Our citizen scientist testing at Eaton Bishop on the Cage Brook yesterday found and reported his highest phosphate readings in 4 years - 2.27. The EA has been alerted and we look forward to hearing what they find. We’re looking for more volunteers to test between Clehonger and Eaton Bishop!

Our weekly test for E. coli at the Warren in Hay yesterday was an appalling 2644 - nearly 3 times over the threshold for “poor” quality, so advise against bathing. Thanks to @riveractionuk.bsky.social for the kit! You can see all our test results here: friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/hay-clean-ri...

Finally some proper rain over the weekend - and sadly (if unsurprisingly) we are seeing returns to high levels of pollution in the Wye catchment, with more than 90 monitoring points recording phosphate levels above the target 0.1 ppm. This table shows our sites of concern for P.

Water quality continues to be "excellent" at the Warren - our test yesterday measured 87 CFU and has been added to the other results on our website. But be mindful that water quality can change quickly, especially after rain, so always take care. friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/hay-clean-ri...

Our latest newsletter dropped this morning with a bumper round-up of news affecting the Wye this month. Read all about bathing water quality, toxic sewage sludge, legal victories and lots of ways you can help defend our rivers… mailchi.mp/3d36ecfd57b1...

A recipe for DISASTER 🤢 Hugh uncovers a recipe for toxic sewage sludge, with lovely ingredients, including: 🦠 Pathogens 🥄 Microplastics 🏭 Industrial waste! SIGN THE PETITION to make water companies clean up their own mess. 😤 👉 act.gp/4nHfsAc

Today the order banning #PalestineAction as "terrorists" came into effect. But they are not terrorists. They are protesters trying to stop a genocide. This is a "first they came for ..." situation. Unless we stand in solidarity against this assault on our freedom, they will pick us off one by one.

We’re shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Lord Lipsey. He was a passionate defender of the Wye and brought together MPs from all parties to discuss ways to restore the river. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. www.aol.co.uk/lord-lipsey-...

Join us this Saturday in Talgarth at the BMC ‘Beth Nawr?’ Festival. Our @nicolacutcher.bsky.social will be running a workshop from 5pm to 7pm on ‘How to Protect Rivers’ with legendary river guardian @paulpowlesland.bsky.social Tickets here: blackmountainscollege.uk/events/beth-...

Stunning photos pouring in to our Big Ranunculus Watch. Huge thanks to Louise & Nik Le Ray for these pics taken 1km north of Hoarwithy on 6 July 2013. Please get involved and submit your photos here: friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/big-ranuncul...

Do you have historic photos showing water crowfoot in the Wye from years gone by? Or are you seeing it at the moment? Thanks to Wye Salmon Association for this image taken at Ballingham a few weeks ago! Please join our BIG RANUNCULUS WATCH: friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/big-ranuncul...

Friends of the River Wye @friendsriverwye.bsky.social have launched the Big Ranunculus Watch! They are asking everyone to share any photos they have of #ranunculus from across the Wye catchment - both current and historical. friendsoftheriverwye.org.uk/big-ranuncul...

Agricultural pollution is the main source of pollution in the UK—so why does the govt continually omit references to it when discussing pollution? If we’re going to get serious about protecting our waterways, we need to invest in river-friendly farming, urgently.

Huge win for our rivers today!! Well done Alison Caffyn & River Action for winning this case and setting a vital precedent - planners must examine the cumulative impact of factory farms and consider what happens to all the manure generated… riveractionuk.com/news/river-c...

Our latest newsletter is out. We’re launching our BIG RANUNCULUS WATCH and we need your help. Read all about it… mailchi.mp/6cc330190b0e...

This Saturday one of our co-founders and trustees, journalist @nicolacutcher.bsky.social, will be at Hellens Garden Festival - discussing river pollution with River Action CEO James Wallace. Catch them at the Talks Tent at 2pm on Saturday 7th June.

We’ve seen algal blooms up and down the Wye catchment in the last few weeks - here is just a sample of photos showing what citizen scientists are recording across some of our rivers and streams. See this thread and a link to our data map below 🧵👇 Here we have the Ithon…

Water Ceremony was held today with prominent nature lawyers at the River Wye in Hay. It was to both celebrate and find inspiration in the Wye, and to discuss the next chapter of Rights for Rivers, in response to the multiple ecological crises 🧵 #SavetheWye #RightsofNature

What a privilege to meet up with @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social before his talk at Hay Festival. We’re so grateful for all his support for the Wye. Here’s our citizen science project manager Pat Stirling, Lady Wye from @savethewye.bsky.social, Rob & Louise, who is the official ‘Voice of the River’.

🚨River Wye bathing site regularly exceeding safe limits. We pulled together all the test results from the Warren last year and it’s worrying stuff. We’re calling on Natural Resources Wales to trace the source of this pollution! www.countytimes.co.uk/news/2517037...

Such a pleasure to visit Ben Andrews' farm again this weekend and meet with local farmers from the Nature Friendly Farming Network. There are so many farmers who recognise the need to shift to a way of farming that works with nature, but they need supportive government policy to help the transition.

NEW: Millions in taxpayers’ money has been funnelled to intensive chicken farms near the Wye and Severn rivers – despite the industry’s links to spiralling water and air pollution in the region (1/4)

Please join us THIS WEDNESDAY at 9am, outside the Civil Justice Centre in Cardiff! This is a crucial legal case, arguing that authorities need to recognise the cumulative impacts of new intensive poultry farms in areas already burdened with too many.

What follows if we imagine rivers as having lives, deaths––& even rights? I wrote this essay about water & hope; imagining rivers “otherwise”; nature’s rights; grammars of animacy; & how our fate flows with that of rivers—& always has. It’s from Is A River Alive? www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...

Great to see ecologist Louise Bodnar appointed as the ‘Voice of the River Wye’. She spoke eloquently at the Nutrient Management Board yesterday about her approach to the role and why she’ll sometimes speak AS the river! A cultural moment. Watch here: www.youtube.com/live/c9d5xAI...