Earlier this year, we carried out a baseline survey to explore what kinds of freshwater life are using the habitat beneath our Llyn Maelog floating wetland. The Floating Wetland project is a pilot study looking at how constructed wetland could improve water quality and increase biodiversity by providing cover, feeding areas, and breeding habitat – but how effective are they?

As part of our Roots project on the Afon Cegin, we are running a series of workshops for primary schools up and down the catchment. The programme kicked off with a workshop with the pupils from Ysgol Rhiwlas. The aim of the workshop was to learn about the Afon Cegin and how rivers form and flow through the landscape, and discovering what makes a river healthy for both wildlife and people. Pupils explored the importance of clean water, connected habitats, and the need to protect our rivers from pollution and flooding through natural flood management and SUDS.

A huge thank you to our brilliant volunteers who joined us this morning for a successful Himalayan Balsam bash along the Afon Cegin. Working together, we cleared a significant stretch of riverbank, helping to create space for native plants and reduce the risk of erosion later in the year.

This week, our team took part in essential Open Water Rescue and Safety Training delivered by the fantastic team at Outreach Rescue. The training was hands-on, practical, and tailored to the kinds of environments our staff and volunteers regularly work near/in; fast-flowing rivers, lakes, and wetland areas across North Wales.

When you look at an old map or aerial photo, you’ll often see rivers winding gracefully through the landscape, forming a series of bends and loops.

We’re pleased to announce that the next Menai Strait Partnership Forum meeting will take place on Thursday 26th June from 14:00 to 16:00 at Marine Centre Wales, Menai Bridge.

Earlier this year, North Wales Rivers Trust volunteers rolled up their sleeves to support our Swimways project by taking part in two hands-on workshops focused on helping one of our most mysterious and endangered migratory fish – the European eel (Anguilla anguilla).

A new farming cluster is being developed along the Afon Cegin, with a particular focus on Natural Flood Management (NFM) to improve both land resilience and river health. Funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s Blue Spaces programme, the project is now in its early stages, with project officers actively building relationships and engaging with local farmers across the catchment.

This year we wrapped up our Living Sea Walls project — a nature-based solution bringing biodiversity back to our hard coastlines. Installed at three sites along the Menai Strait, these specially designed concrete panels mimic the cracks, crevices, and textures of natural rocky shores, giving marine life a better chance to thrive.

Here at the North Wales Rivers Trust, we’re delighted to share the inspiring work of Lab Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfi—a grassroots group born out of our original Lab Dŵr project, which equips communities with the skills, tools, and confidence to monitor the health of their local rivers.

We’re starting work to control Himalayan balsam along the Afon Cegin – and we’re looking for volunteers to help.

Our first balsam bashing session is on Tuesday 17th June, 10am–12pm. It’s a short, practical morning where we’ll be pulling up plants by hand before they get a chance to spread further.

Himalayan balsam might look harmless, but it quickly takes over riverbanks, crowding out native plants and leaving bare soil behind. When winter comes and it dies back, it leaves the banks exposed and prone to erosion, which affects both wildlife and water quality.

This is a great chance to get outside, meet others, and do something positive for the river. No experience needed – just wear long sleeves and sturdy footwear.

Get in touch if you'd like to come along! Email poppy@northwalesriverstrust.org

Following a successful debut in 2024, Heipolymnion—a powerful immersive installation by artist Sean Harris—returns to Galeri Caernarfon this June.

Recently we joined Extinction Rebellion Wales to walk the banks of the Afon Cegin. Along the walk different speakers were encouraged to share their knowledge meaning the event was filled with fascinating insights into the river’s past and present — from Welsh folklore and local histories to the mining legacy of Penrhyn and its lasting impact on the landscape.

We recently attended the River Improvement Co-Delivery event in Cardiff, a valuable day focused on strengthening collaboration across Wales to improve the health of our rivers. Hosted by Kate Humble and led by Dŵr Cymru, Afonydd Cymru, and the Wildlife Trusts Wales, the event brought together key organisations working in freshwater conservation.

We’re pleased to share that our amazing volunteers have now completed their Day 2 training with the Smart Rivers Hubs programme! After two full sessions of learning and hands-on practice, they are now fully trained and ready to begin independent invertebrate sampling this autumn.

We’ve had a wonderful start to spring here at North Wales Rivers Trust, with a recent check on our Llyn Maelog floating wetland delivering some exciting news!

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our very first children’s bilingual storybook, The Secret Life of Eryri, the first in our new educational series! Created in collaboration with pupils from Ysgol Bro Hedd Wyn, this beautifully illustrated tale follows Mabon the salmon and Mabli the otter as they explore their river home and meet Mair, a wise freshwater pearl mussel.

Twice a year, The Rivers Trust runs the Big River Watch and the next one is happening from 25 April to 1 May. This time, we would love to see even more volunteers from North Wales head out to their local river, so we can do our bit in contributing to the national picture of river health across the UK.

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, the company responsible for most of Wales' wastewater, is discharging raw sewage into our rivers for thousands of hours every year. And in 2024, the data hit new highs. This new data revealed the worst offending sewage overflows by total time spilled and number of discharges. 

Join the Spring River Hub Training in Llanberis or Rhosneigr.