The Yorkshire Dales rivers are iconic and rise within a protected landscape in the heart of Yorkshire; they have an incredible natural heritage and support a diverse range of wildlife. Despite this they have faced a great deal of pressure over hundreds of years which has seen the decline of species which used to thrive. Our rivers are under constant threat from pollution, removal of natural habitats, the impacts of climate change, and invasive non-native species.

Through our volunteering programme we can help reduce pollution by physically removing litter from our river banks and by monitoring sewage pollution through outfall safaris. We can improve biodiversity, water quality and manage flood risks by planting trees next to our rivers. We can support and protect our native species by monitoring and removing invasive non-native species (INNS) such as Himalayan Balsam, Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed.