Confluence – Details, episodes & analysis

It's very apt to be sharing this episode on Valentine's Day as we are joined by someone who has a lifelong love of water, and protecting it, Chris Hines MBE.

Not afraid to speak out for environmental causes, Chris co-founded Surfers Against Sewage and we learn about his achievements while there. Plus we hear about his work on sustainability in the early years of The Eden Project, his public speaking and his new project, A Grain of Sand.

Chris shares his views on activism, politics, water sector polices and decisions, embedding the triple bottom line in business and more, but most importantly, how connecting with our rivers and seas can bring many benefits to us all.

To contact Chris, please visit agos.co

If you would like to take part and share your river-related story, or have a suggestion for a guest, please email josie@wrt.org.uk

We are joined for our first Confluence podcast in our 30th anniversary year by Merlin Hanbury-Tenison from The Thousand Year Trust. The charity is dedicated to bringing Atlantic Temperate Rainforests to life across the south west and the UK.

Merlin shares his passion for this type of forest and the benefit to the health and well being of both ecosystems and humans they provide.

We learn the fascinating fact that the ancient woodland on the land where he grew up on Bodmin Moor is around 3 to 4,000 years old; how these habitats sequester carbon and hold an abundance of biodiversity; and about the umbrella term 'temperate rainforests' and how they can differ globally but what trees and flora we are most likely to find in our region.

Merlin also shares his views on topics such as nature friendly farming; eco system services; agroforestry; the impact of non-native species on island environments; keystone species such as beavers; landscape recovery; and his charity's plans to create Europe's first temperate rainforest research centre at The Thousand Year Trust's HQ in Bodmin.

Listen along to find out more and visit the links below.

The Thousand Year Trust

Cabilla

South West Rainforest Alliance

Westcountry Rivers Trust is keen to see Cabilla's and the 1000 Year Trust's progression in the coming years. At the time of the podcast recording, our charity is offering assistance to Merlin in the form of soil analysis and nutrient management advice.

Listen in to learn more about our CEO Dr Laurence Couldrick, including his hopes for the region's rivers and his favourite places to enjoy freshwater habitats.

And, if you'd like to share your love of rivers with us on the podcast or would like to suggest someone we chat with, email josie@wrt.org.uk - you can find out more about our charity at wrt.org.uk too. 

Find out about our Girls Go Fishing project, funded by the National Lottery, This Girl Can and Sport England, from our rivers and fisheries officer, Mia Bryant.

The project is supporting women (18+) to try out fishing...for free. 

If you've always wanted to give it a go, we have 10 places at two venues in Somerset this August.

Listen along and then head over to wrt.org.uk/project/girls-go-fishing for all the info and to reserve your place. 

And, if you'd like to share your love of rivers with us on the podcast, email josie@wrt.org.uk to find out how.

In this episode, Westcountry Rivers Trust's Confluence podcast host Josie Purcell chats with Brigit Strawbridge Howard.

Brigit is a passionate environmentalist, committed to giving back to the natural world. Learn more about her love for bees and dippers and her joy at monitoring her local streams and rivers as one of our Westcountry CSI citizen scientists.

Her enthusiasm for nature is infectious, and she encourages us all to to take the time to notice our natural surroundings and get to know them.

Follow Brigit on Twitter at https://twitter.com/B_Strawbridge. You can link through to her blogsite there too.

Till next time, keep your wellies, waders and wetsuits at the ready...

In the first Westcountry Rivers Trust Confluence podcast, host Josie Purcell chats with the charity's volunteer vlogger Emily Hardisty about why she loves freshwater wildlife and habitats so much.

Find out about Emily's passion for learning and communicating all things river-related and keep up to date with her river journey at https://www.instagram.com/wildlingcreature/

You can celebrate your Westcountry rivers this festive season too. Be #RiverRevellers with us and find out how you can support our The Big Give Christmas Challenge at https://bit.ly/RiverRevellers between 30 Nov and 7 Dec.

Till next time, keep your wellies, waders and wetsuits at the ready...

Welcome to Westcountry Rivers Trust's Confluence podcast.

We'll be chatting to guests about why our region's freshwater environments matter to them and taking a look at the science that underpins river health; life in, on and along our waterways; how we can all play a part in caring for our rivers and all they support; the enjoyment and wellbeing benefits they provide and much more.

Join us for our first episode on 1 December 2021 as we find out why rivers mean so much to our volunteer vlogger and biologist, Emily.

We are sharing our first podcast episode as part of our festive fundraiser. Find out more at https://bit.ly/RiverRevellers

You can find out about the work of our charity at https://wrt.org.uk/

In the latest Confluence podcast, host Josie Purcell chats with Stu Pearce about his involvement with Westcountry CSI and living with MS (Multiple Sclerosis).

Learn more from Stu about how his river monitoring activity motivates him, plus his plans to convert his bike to carry his monitoring kit. You'll also hear about his band, aptly named for this podcast, No Ordinary Fish.

For MS support, please visit:

mstrust.org.uk

mssociety.org.uk

overcomingms.org

You can also read Stu's blog for the MS Trust at mstrust.org.uk/news/stories/ms-community-gives-me-edge-ms

To discover more about Stu's band, head over to linktr.ee/noordinaryfish

If you would like to share your river-related story on the podcast, email josie@wrt.org.uk

In this epsiode, we speak to Lily Khandker, Head of Operations for Black 2 Nature.

Black 2 Nature is a charity that works tirelessly to promote cultural change in the environmental sector, across the Westcountry.

Focusing on topics such as environmental education and justice, we delve into the barriers that exist for minority groups in the environmental sector, and discuss the importance of connecting young people with blue and green spaces.

Rivers are for everyone to enjoy, so listen in to hear how we can create a more diverse and inclusive future within nature.

If you feel inspired by this episode, head to www.black2nature.org to learn more and show your support.

Think you have a river-related story worth sharing? Get in touch at josie@wrt.org.uk.

We're speaking salmon for this episode of the Confluence podcast, specifically the Salmon Run taking place on Sunday 24 September on World Rivers Day.

Hear from Jo Salter and Anne-Marie Culhane, artists and directors of the Exe estuary-based community arts and science Tidelines CIC as they tell us about their exciting Salmon Run event.

Celebrating the connection between the river and the sea and the life of the iconic Salmon, people can learn more about this fish and wider environmental matters as they don their running shoes or visit on the day. See a mermaid bring Samantha the Salmon forth from the sea to start the day as she begins her epic journey with the runners from Exmouth to Exmoor. Fancy dress is always appreciated but not mandatory.

There are opportunities to volunteer too - find out all about the event at tidelines.uk/events/run-salmon-run-2023/ or email info@tidelines.uk

Register now to run via wildrunning.co.uk/event/salmon-run-ultra-relay-and-5k/⁠

And learn more about salmon at ⁠tidelines.uk/blog/

You can make a donation to help with event costs via avivacommunityfund.co.uk/p/salmon-run⁠

Westcountry Rivers Trust will be there celebrating our Bringing Rivers to You campaign and sharing more about our Strategic Exe Weirs project, while the Friends of the River Exe are making it a part of their Festival of the Exe.