Wye and Usk Foundation facts for kids

The Wye and Usk Foundation is a special group that works to protect and improve the River Wye and River Usk. These important rivers flow through parts of Wales and England. The Foundation is based in Talgarth, Powys, in Wales. It's like a superhero team for rivers! They help local people, anglers (people who fish), and everyone else who loves these rivers.

The Foundation started in 1995. It was created because the number of Atlantic salmon in the rivers was going down. They wanted to help these amazing fish and make the rivers healthy again. The Wye and Usk Foundation is also part of a bigger group called The Rivers Trust.

What is the Wye and Usk Foundation?

The Wye and Usk Foundation is an environmental charity. This means they are a non-profit group dedicated to protecting nature. Their main goal is to make sure the River Wye and River Usk are healthy and clean. They work to improve the natural environment for everyone. This includes the plants, animals, and people who live near or use the rivers.

Protecting Rivers and Wildlife

The Foundation does a lot of hands-on work to keep the rivers in great shape. They focus on habitat conservation. This means they protect the natural homes of fish and other wildlife.

Keeping Habitats Healthy

One important job is managing the plants along the riverbanks. This is called riparian vegetation. They also put up fences to keep grazing animals, like cows, away from the river's edge. This stops the animals from trampling and damaging the banks. They don't just work on the main rivers. They also help many smaller streams that flow into the Wye and Usk.

Sometimes, parts of the riverbed lose their natural gravel. The Foundation helps by adding new gravel back. This is important because many fish, like salmon, lay their eggs in gravel beds. They also help clean up litter from the rivers.

Helping Fish Travel

Rivers often have weirs, which are small dams built across the water. These can stop fish from swimming upstream to lay their eggs. The Foundation builds special structures called fish passes around these weirs. Fish passes are like ladders or ramps that help fish get past the obstacles. This allows fish to reach all parts of the river they need for their life cycle.

Fighting Invasive Species

Another big part of their work is dealing with invasive non-native species. These are plants or animals that are not originally from the area. They can cause a lot of harm to the local environment. The Foundation works to control species like giant hogweed, a large plant that can harm people and other plants. They also deal with the American signal crayfish, which can outcompete native crayfish and damage riverbanks.

Watching the Rivers

The Foundation uses technology to keep an eye on the rivers. They have webcams set up on both the River Wye and the River Usk. They also have cameras on the Wye's main smaller rivers, called tributaries. These include the River Lugg and the River Monnow. These webcams help them monitor the river conditions and see how healthy they are.

Working Together

The Wye and Usk Foundation works across both the Welsh and English parts of the river areas. This means they cooperate with different groups and governments. Being a member of The Rivers Trust helps them share knowledge and work with other river protection groups across the UK. Their efforts benefit not just the environment but also the local communities who depend on these beautiful rivers.