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Project

Riverlands: working to restore Cumbria's waterways

A view of Watendlath Beck Borrowdale, Lake District
A view of Watendlath Beck Borrowdale | © National Trust Images/John Malley

Rivers are life forces. They’ve helped sustain ecosystems, cultures and communities for millennia, their quiet power steadily shaping everything from landscapes to place names. But many of our rivers are under threat from climate change, pollution, and human-made changes to the landscapes and waterways, which is why the National Trust launched Riverlands.

The Cumbria Riverlands project stretches from Keswick in the north to Kendal in the south, across the central fells and finally out to sea. It encompasses the rivers themselves, the land which drains into them, and the rich array of wildlife and plants that call these varied habitats home. Together, these make up our ‘riverlands’.

Working with partners, our aim is to restore rivers and catchments to be healthy, clean and rich in wildlife; easily accessed and valued for their heritage and beauty; and with sustainable plans for their long term care.  We’ll post regular updates of the work we’re doing here, on this project timeline, so keep checking back to stay up to date.

Cumbria Riverlands Project

27 November 2025

Char Spawning on the Liza

We’re delighted that Arctic Char have been spotted spawning on the River Liza once again this winter.

Ennerdale Water and the River Liza are home to England’s last remaining migratory Arctic Char population. Our river restoration project, delivered this summer in partnership with Wild Ennerdale, reconnected the river to it’s delta by removing embankments and digging chute channels to encourage the water to flow out across the delta. We also installed features in the river to create a variety of habitats, like riffles and large woody debris.

Now Artic Char have been spotted taking full advantage of the new habits by spawning in areas they’ve not been spotted in before. Apparently, they are particularly keen on using the woody habitats we installed in the river channel itself.

We look forward to hearing more Char success stories in the future!

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