Natural Capital

Planting trees to help our rivers Planting the right tree in the right place can benefit the Wye, its tributaries, and the surrounding area by keeping water clean, keeping rivers cool, holding water in the landscape, storing carbon, providing shelter for livestock and improving biodiversity. Wye & Usk Foundation Agricultural Advisors are offering free advice […]

High levels of phosphate and nitrogen change the ecology of rivers. Entering the water via point (e.g. Combined Sewer Overflows) and diffuse (e.g. agricultural) sources, these nutrients can cause eutrophication and algal blooms which have a detrimental effect on aquatic life and river ecosystems. Much of the Wye and Usk catchments are currently failing to […]

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. This includes animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms, as well as their abundance and genetic diversity. The Wye and Usk catchments have a wealth of rich wildlife and natural habitats which society depends on. Preventing habitat loss and enhancing biodiversity within these catchments is vital not just […]

Woodland currently covers 13% of total land surface in the UK, the lowest in Europe. Of this, just 2% is ancient semi-natural woodland. The UK government has set a target to plant 30,000 hectares of new trees in the UK each year as part of the effort to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The […]