Skip to content
Skip to main navigation

July 2025

  • Date published

    Monday, 28 July 2025

News from the team

Welcome to our July newsletter. We are pleased to announce that the Catchment Partnership has a new recruit. Janine Blincow has recently joined us to take up the role of Catchment Partnership Officer after Sally’s departure. Janine has a wealth of experience, having worked in the water company, regulatory and consultancy sectors. She has been supporting the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership in recent months and has a great understanding of ‘how things work’ with Catchment Partnerships. We are glad to have Janine onboard and look forward to working with her.

Enjoy the July newsletter,  happy reading!
Zoe 

Partner update

Atlantic Salmon and chalk stream restoration 
As with other wild Atlantic salmon populations around Europe, those on the rivers Frome and Piddle, which flow into Poole Harbour, Dorset, have declined dramatically over the last 30 years. As a result, in the UK, they are now classified as endangered and on the IUCN Red List. This is backed up by the research undertaken by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust's (GWCT) Salmon and Trout Research Centre on the river Frome in Dorset, which holds some of the most detailed data available on adult and juvenile Atlantic salmon going back to 1973.

Following several meetings over recent months with stakeholders in the Poole Harbour catchment, and the Heritage Lottery approving an expression of interest for a multimillion-pound funding application in late June to restore chalk streams and their salmon in Poole Harbour, GWCT are now leading a consortium to submit a phase one application before July 2026. The project aims to work with landowners and those involved in the Poole Harbour catchment, to deliver improved land use and better quality instream habitats for salmon underpinned by research and monitoring. 

River Frome, credit Dylan Roberts

Wessex Water WINEP update
After three years of planning and a huge amount of work and support from our partners, the Frome Headwaters flagship chalk stream restoration project and the Stour chalk streams and clay vales projects are finally underway. 
 
In the Frome Headwaters, Wessex Water are supporting lead partner Dorset Wildlife Trust to work with local land managers to improve the water quality, biodiversity and stability of base flows in the precious chalk streams of the River Hooke, Wraxall Brook, and the Frome headwaters itself- the most westerly chalk streams in England.
 
In the Stour catchment, Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water are co-funding partners Dorset Wildlife Trust, FWAG SW and Wessex Rivers Trust to also work with land managers to use nature-based solutions on-farm to reduce flood risk and improve water quality and biodiversity in the ‘clay vale’ headwater catchments, and all aspects of chalk stream health in the middle catchment. The Stour is a particularly active catchment for partnership working with lots of projects already on the go, so careful considerations are being taken to make sure this work is joined up.
 
Both projects stand on the shoulders of years of relationship-building and successful partnership delivery in these areas through the Catchment Partnership, which has informed their scope and shape. Water company business planning is in 5-year blocks, meaning the current funding is allocated and secured to 2030 although the intention for both projects is that they will continue on to 2035, providing rare security of funding for this important partnership delivery. Partners are already working hard to secure match funding to make the most of delivery opportunities, including supporting farmers to access Government schemes, so the recent announcements of Capital Grants re-opening (albeit temporarily!) and Higher Tier re-opening in September are welcome news.
 
For more information about these and three other partnership projects in the Hampshire Avon and Bristol Avon catchments, visit Wessex Water’s website here: Catchment partnership projects | Wessex Water

Wider news

Independent Water Commission final report
On the 21st July, the findings from the Independent Water Commission review, which includes 88 recommendations, were published. This is a landmark report, it being the first evaluation of the water industry since privatisation of the sector in 1989. There were over 50,000 responses to the Call for Evidence, including a response from Dorset Catchment Partnerships. It will be interesting to see how the review recommendations are implemented in the coming months and years. 

Environment Agency pollution report
The Environment Agency has recently published their pollution report which shows a 60% increase from 2023 to 2024 in serious pollution incidents. Thames Water, Southern Water and Yorkshire Water were responsible for 81% of the serious incidents.

New ponds created around Pitsford reservoir
Local farmers, landowners, and Freshwater Habitats Trust have been working in partnership to create 22 new ponds and manage ten existing ponds around Pitsford reservoir in Northamptonshire. The project has been successful in increasing the number of wetland plant species across the entire landscape by nearly a quarter and has more than doubled the number of uncommon plant species in two years.

Hosepipe ban in Yorkshire
Following Yorkshire's driest Spring on record, The Rivers Trust has published an article highlighting their recent hosepipe ban. They explain the effect of low water levels on rivers and river wildlife, along with providing tips on how to conserve water.
 
UK Hydrological Outlook July 2025
The UK Hydrological Outlook provides an insight into future hydrological conditions across the UK. On a monthly basis it explains likely trajectories for river flows and groundwater levels. The forecast for July has recently been published. You can find out about the latest UK hydrological situation in (near) real-time using the UK Water Resources Portal.
  
The benefits of trees and hedgerows
Recent research from Oxford University and Butterfly Conservation has shown that hedgerows, small woodlands and trees were especially important for butterflies. Tree and hedgerow planting are included in a suite of measures taken along watercourses to improve water quality, reduce flood risk and enhance habitats for wildlife, including butterflies.

Reinvesting water company fines into environmental projects
The government have announced that over £100m of water company fines will be reinvested into environmental projects aiming to improve the quality of rivers, lakes and seas. This is part of the government's Plan for Change.
 
The Crystal Clear Ebble project 
After five years, the Chase and Chalke Landscape Partnership Scheme delivered a project aimed towards improving the River Ebble, which has now concluded. This chalk stream restoration and conservation project involved engagement from landowners, local communities and volunteers.

Local news

Dorset Wildlife Trust Annual Review 2025
The 2025 Annual Review has recently been published by Dorset Wildlife Trust. It includes summary updates on projects that are under the Dorset Catchment Partnerships umbrella, such as Dorset Peat Partnership, Lyscombe nature reserve, Dorset Wild Rivers and the enclosed beaver project. 

Conservation, Access and Recreation report
Wessex Water has published a report which provides a summary of the progress they have made towards meeting their long-term conservation, access and recreation goals during 2024-25.
 
Poole Park Lagoon Preservation
BCP Council will begin maintenance works this month to preserve the salt-water lagoon at Poole Park due to corrosion. These improvements will help to maintain the water quality, as well as provide benefits to the wildlife.
 
Dorset Local Nature Partnership
The annual Dorset Local Nature Partnership forum was held on the 26th March at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton. The event focused on food production and nature in harmony. The report from the event has now been published and can be accessed from the link above or via the Dorset LNP website. 

Get involved

Call for Evidence on business investment in nature
The Government has launched a call for evidence seeking views on how to fairly and effectively increase incentives for businesses to invest in nature. They are encouraging agri-food businesses, trade bodies, farmers, and environmental NGOs to share their perspectives on how policy can better support nature-positive investment. To respond to this call for evidence, send written submissions to Nature.Investment.CfE@defra.gov.uk by the 7th August 2025.

Dorset National Landscape Draft Management Plan
The Dorset National Landscape team have published their new Draft Management Plan and are seeking the views of people who live, work and visit the Dorset National Landscape. The public consultation period runs from the 14th July to 22nd September 2025. 

Funding

Capital Grants now open for applications
Defra have announced that the Capital Grants offer is open for new applications. This funding round will make £150 million of funding available to farmers, land managers and rural businesses for practical environmental improvements across England. 

Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund
The Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund will launch in late August 2025. More than 150 organisations are part of the Big Chalk Partnership that share a common vision of “creating thriving chalk and limestone landscapes across southern England.” Individual grants of up to £75,000 for up to 10 projects will be awarded for initiatives that help restore and reconnect the chalk and limestone landscapes of southern England. All funding must be spent by March 2026.

Events and webinars

Heath Week 2025
The fifth annual Heath Week will be run by Dorset Heaths Partnership from the 28th July to the 3rd August 2025. A variety of nature-based events are being carried out throughout the week, including a community workshop presented by Dorset Peat Partnership. Discover further details here.

Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show
On the 13th and 14th August 2025, the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Agricultural Show will be taking place. It will include a collaborative stall from Dorset Climate Action Network, Planet Shaftesbury, Sustainable Dorset and others. Find out more about the event here.
  
Big Butterfly Count
Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count launched on the 18th July and runs to the 10th August. You can get involved and find out more here. 

Jobs