November 2025

News from the team

It’s been an action-packed month for the Dorset Catchment Partnerships team!

We kicked things off at the Dorset COP (Conference of Parties) at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton - a truly inspiring day celebrating community-led climate and environmental action. Our Poole Harbour Delivery Group meeting was another highlight, with partners sharing positive updates on the fantastic work happening across the catchment.

On the training front, Holly, Janine, and Zoë successfully completed an accredited Natural England course in order to obtain CL51 licences for beaver management. This new capability means the DCP team can provide even stronger support to partners on this important topic. Janine and Zoë also completed Wessex Water’s Safe Working in Water Level 1 & 2 training, further strengthening our team’s expertise.

Holly and Janine also represented DCP at the Dorset Coast Forum’s (DCF) 30th Anniversary Conference at the RNLI College in Poole. They enjoyed insightful talks and connected with members at our stand to showcase the Partnership’s work.

Meanwhile, Zoë presented at Wessex Water’s Catchment Panel meeting, sharing DCP’s progress, 2025 highlights, and exciting plans for the future.

And all of this alongside our day-to-day essentials: newsletters, meeting admin, website updates, and more! We hope you enjoy this edition of the DCP newsletter and feel as energised as we do about the work ahead.

Zoë, Janine and Holly

Partner update

DCF Conference 2025 – It’s a Wrap!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the Dorset Coast Forum Annual Conference on 19th November. This year was extra special as we celebrated 30 years of Dorset Coast Forum – a fantastic milestone for our coastal community!

Each year, DCF hosts an annual conference for our members, providing a platform to share expertise, insights, and research on coastal projects and initiatives. The event also promotes meaningful connections and networking opportunities in a welcoming, neutral setting.

The event was a great success, with 100 members coming together to enjoy 12 inspiring presentations, grouped into three thought-provoking sessions:

1. Rising to the Challenge: Navigating Climate and Ecological Crises

2. The Changing Tides: Fishing and Marine Nature Recovery

3. Shorelines and Stories: Building Coastal Community Connections

We’re incredibly grateful to our speakers for their engaging contributions, the information stand exhibitors, our hosts at RNLI College in Poole, and our generous sponsors: Suttle Projects and Moffatt & Nichol.

For more details of the conference, including presentation slides, please see >> DCF Annual Conference 2025 | Dorset Coast Forum.

Written by: Nikki Parker-Goadsby

Wider news

The Big River Watch – September 2025 results
The last Big River Watch saw an incredible 4,140 volunteers in the UK and Ireland contribute 2,347 surveys (equivalent to 43 days spent monitoring rivers) via the free mobile application.
A variety of wildlife was reported: ducks topped the sightings with 789 recordings, followed by 240 kingfishers, 624 fish, 52 otters, 7 beavers, and 383 dragonflies. However, pollution remains a persistent issue with nearly half of the surveys (48%) reporting at least one pollutant, with silt reported in 580 cases. These data provide clearer insights into the pressures affecting our rivers and help guide targeted actions to address them.

Percentage of the different pollutants recorded during the Big River Watch (September 2025)
Credit: The Rivers Trust 

Fine sediment threatens river life 
A recent study on the River Taw in Devon reveals that ultra-fine sediment (<25 µm) can clog gravel beds and consume oxygen as embedded organic material decomposes. This can create inhospitable conditions for fish eggs, larvae, and invertebrates. The research shows this issue isn’t limited to farmland runoff; it occurs across diverse catchment areas and isn’t easily flushed out. Experts recommend catchment-wide strategies such as reducing nutrient inputs and limiting the accumulation of fine sediments, to restore oxygen flow through riverbeds. 

LIFE on the Edge: Celebrating five years of coastal success
The RSPB’s LIFE on the Edge project has restored 66 hectares of coastal habitats across seven protected areas, creating scrapes, lagoons, and shingle beaches for species like Little Terns and Avocets. Using techniques like managed realignment and dredged sediment, it strengthened resilience against climate change and coastal squeeze. This five-year partnership leaves richer habitats, stronger flood defences, and lasting benefits for wildlife and people.

How citizen scientists are helping to close the freshwater data gap – Natural England
Citizen scientists are helping Natural England fill freshwater data gaps, especially for ponds that support most UK freshwater species. Projects like GenePools use eDNA sampling to identify thousands of species, while Priority Ponds and Urban Pond Count map habitats and estimate 8,500 urban ponds. These efforts strengthen biodiversity records and inspire public action to protect vital ecosystems.

Final live broadcast of Peat-Fest South-West
A final live broadcast is to be held on 28th November for Peat-Fest South-West. This session will feature expert speakers exploring how COP30 and the evolving climate agenda will shape future peatland management. The broadcast will also highlight practical work happening on the ground across the Somerset Wetlands and the Dorset Heathlands and Mires.
 
A new Natural England Strategy: ‘Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security’
Natural England’s new strategy, ‘Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security’, sets out an ambitious vision to make nature central to our future. It calls for large-scale restoration to boost biodiversity, tackle climate change, and improve wellbeing while supporting sustainable development. With four priorities: Recovering Nature, Better Places, Health, and Security; the plan urges councils, businesses, and communities to embed nature into housing, infrastructure, and daily life.

Beaver wetlands: a hidden boost for pollinators
In this new scientific study, beaver wetlands were compared with human-made ponds and striking pollinator benefits were found. While plant richness was similar,  beaver wetlands supported wetter-condition plants and boosted hoverflies (+29%  richness, +119% abundance) and butterflies (+45%). Agri-environment schemes  currently incentivise ponds, not beaver wetlands - missing a chance to enhance pollinator benefits.

Local news

Pond creation and river restoration at Kingcombe Meadows
Dorset Wildlife Trust have published a blog article explaining the work, which is being carried out on the River Hooke as a part of the Frome Headwaters Chalkstream Flagship Restoration Project. Furthermore, it describes the six new ponds, which have been dug at Kingcombe and the ecological benefits they provide.

Saving Water for Wildlife
Dorset Wildlife Trust have published the latest episode of their wildlife podcast. It explores the role of water in supporting Dorset’s diverse habitats, from chalk streams to wetlands and coastal areas.

Pollution and citizen science
A Dorset Wildlife Trust blog has been published about the different types of pollution and the challenge it presents to rivers. They have two citizen science initiatives working in partnership with other organisations, which help to monitor river quality and detect pollution incidents.

River Allen Landscape Recovery
The River Allen, a chalk stream supplying water to towns in Dorset, is celebrated for its exceptional clarity and ecological importance. This article highlights its unique qualities and explores ongoing efforts by organisations and citizen scientists to monitor water quality and reduce pollution.

The River Allen
Photo credit: River Allen CIC

Have your say

Consultation on strengthening penalties for water company offences – Defra
Defra have launched a consultation seeking views on penalties for water company offences. Proposed changes include higher fines (up to £500,000) and faster enforcement for offences like unreported discharges. The consultation closes on 3rd December 2025.
 

Funding

Climate Action Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund has money available for projects, which encourage climate action. The deadline for applications is 17th December 2025.

Events and webinars

Collaborative Monitoring and Catchment Management
The Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative (CaSTCo) will be running a webinar on 9th December 2025, about how their CaSTCo approach is strengthening partnerships, growing engagement, and enabling more unified and integrated catchment monitoring. 

Funding chalk stream projects - The Rivers Trust
The Rivers Trust will be running a webinar where different speakers will present various sources of funding and share their experiences of how it can be used within chalk stream projects. The event is occurring on 3rd December 2025.

Pull a Pine at RSPB Arne
RSPB Arne will be hosting the Pull a Pine event for two days at the end of November. Lowland heathland pine and silver birch trees can be fast spreading. Without action, they can block out a significant amount of light and push out heathland wildlife as they grow.

Planet Shaftesbury meeting
Planet Shaftesbury is hosting a meeting to discuss local environmental issues, and upcoming projects and ideas. The meeting will be held on 27th November.