Our new RiverSearchers are learning about rivers and carrying out vital monitoring on the River Eden.
What's it about?
We have teamed up with our colleagues at Surrey Wildlife Trust to bring RiverSearch to the River Eden. RiverSearch is a citizen science project that collects invaluable information about the River Eden through a network of volunteers who regularly survey their adopted stretch of river.
No prior knowledge of river ecology is needed to become a RiverSearcher. Each volunteer is trained on how to carry out the surveys, recognise important river features and habitats, spot potential pollution sources and identify non-native invasive species.
As well as river features our volunteers record the wildlife they see along the river. We currently have a mammal training programme in place so RiverSearchers can map the distribution of water vole, otter, water shrew and harvest mice along the river.
Our survey findings
Rivers are incredibly diverse habitats supporting a wide range of wildlife. The data collected by RiverSearchers allows us to assess the health of the river and find the best way to manage it for the future.
Please Note: Most of the stretches are NOT publically accessible and access has only been permitted to the volunteers completing the survey.