The Wye and Usk Foundation

Who we are

The Wye and Usk Foundation is a Rivers Trust that improves the ecology, habitat and water quality of the rivers Wye and Usk

Our core goals to 2030 are:

·        To restore the rivers’ ecology and fish populations

·        To ensure the economics, and resultant decisions taken in the river catchment support river friendly land use and nature based solutions

·        To ensure WUF has a secure funding base

·        To ensure restoration efforts are aligned on a catchment scale

We are one of the largest rivers’ trusts in England and Wales in terms of output and a leader in our field, developing new techniques and delivering improvements for the aquatic environment.

The Foundation was formed in 1995 due to the alarming decline in Atlantic Salmon and because very little was being done to address the serious problems facing the rivers Wye and Usk. Since then, we have worked with a range of partners and the wider public on a series of projects to remedy these issues. This has been to the benefit a wide range of flora and fauna, along with local communities and the economy.

We are much more than just a lobbying charity. First and foremost, we are a “doing” organisation with track record in delivering results for the environment. Broadly speaking, our work can be divided into three categories:

Environment - Through a series of partnership projects, we remedy problems affecting the two rivers such as habitat degradation, poor water quality and diffuse pollution, over-abstraction, barriers to fish migration and over-exploitation of our fisheries.

Education - We also deliver environmental learning opportunities about rivers across the Wye and Usk catchment areas.

Economics - We bring the economic benefits of our environmental work to local communities. This last element of our work is delivered through The Fishing Passport.

With our expertise, reach and our member trusts’ local knowledge, we work with farmers, residents and organisations to provide advice and resources for their communities. We bring together the people, knowledge, data and intelligence to help rivers thrive again; for us and future generations.

Our rivers are an integral part of our communities and we are leading the movement to protect them.