Island Rivers

Natural Enterprise hosts the Island Rivers Catchment Partnership, bringing together organisations, landowners, community groups and local people with a shared interest in protecting and improving the Isle of Wight’s rivers, streams and wetlands.

The Island’s water environment is remarkably varied. Chalk-fed streams, greensand rivers, small coastal catchments, wetlands and estuaries all support distinctive habitats and wildlife, but they also face a range of pressures. These include pollution from rural and urban areas, changes to river channels and flows, invasive species, barriers to wildlife movement and the increasing effects of climate change.

The Partnership works across six broad priorities: improving water quality, protecting water resources, enhancing habitats and biodiversity, addressing physical modifications and barriers, increasing climate resilience, and helping more people understand and engage with their local water environment.

By bringing partners together at a catchment scale, Island Rivers helps identify shared priorities, develop projects, coordinate activity and attract funding for practical improvements. The Partnership also produces and maintains the Island Rivers Catchment Management Plan, which provides a strategic framework for action across the Island.

The Island Rivers website contains a wealth of information about the Isle of Wight’s rivers, streams and wetlands, including individual catchments, current and completed projects, local issues, waterside walks, guidance, learning resources and opportunities to get involved.