We are working toward a healthier, more resilient catchment through four long-term aims:

• Refresh: Pristine Water Quality
  Reduce pollution and improve water quality by working with land managers, businesses, and communities.
• Restore: A Healthy Catchment
  Reconnect rivers with their natural processes to improve flood resilience, sediment movement, and habitat health.
• Revive: Iconic & Endangered Species
  Support the recovery of species like the freshwater pearl mussel and Atlantic salmon through habitat restoration and invasive species control.
• Reconnect: People & Nature
  Empower communities to engage with and care for their local environment through education, art, volunteering, and recreation.

The River Esk is one of North Yorkshire’s principal salmon and trout rivers, rising between Baysdale and Westerdale in an area known as the Esklets. From there it flows 28 miles through the North York Moors National Park, where it joins the North Sea at Whitby. On its way to its eventual destination, the river flows through a varied landscape of upland wild heather moorland, deep wooded valleys, and quaint traditional stone built villages.

It is home to a variety of flora and fauna with some nationally important species such as Atlantic salmon, brown trout, grayling, brook lamprey, sand martins, dippers, kingfishers, water voles and otters. In addition to these, the Esk is the only river in all of Yorkshire and one of only seven nationally to hold the extremely rare and fascinating freshwater pearl mussel.

The Partnership is hosted by the North York Moors Trust and coordinated by the North York Moors National Park Authority, with members including:

• Angling Trust
• Camphill Village Trust
• Community Earth Project
• Egton Estate
• Environment Agency
• Esk Valley Farmers
• Forestry England
• Freshwater Biological Association
• Grosmont Estate
• Groundwork North East and Cumbria
• Natural England
• North Yorkshire Council
• Yorkshire Water
• Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership
• Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

In the first year of the project, we have focused on community consultation and relationship building. We received 254 responses to our first community survey – more than double our target – and used the insights to shape our approach. We piloted a range of events including storytelling sessions, clay workshops, and our first “River Revels” series, which featured guided walks, yoga, and citizen science activities. We also launched a community-led logo design process with local children and began deeper engagement through workshops and ongoing conversations to ensure REConnect continues to reflect the needs and values of the people it serves.

• Degradation of habitat caused by sedimentation of substrate gravels
• Issues with water quality such as high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus (eutrophication)
• Declining populations of host species (salmon and trout)
• The historic and sadly, modern pearl fishing and poaching

The River Esk’s mussels are the last surviving population in all of Yorkshire, with only a small number left. Our mussels haven’t produced offspring in over 40 years, with the likelihood that they may die out within the next 25-30 years high, unless actions are made to bring them back from the brink.

The Esk & Coastal Streams Catchment Partnership are working together with our partners, local land managers and volunteers on a variety of different projects, including; a captive breeding programme, habitat restoration works for FWPM and supporting species, catchment-wide water quality and sediment improvements, and improvements to fish populations and their habitat.

There has been much work done at the Freshwater Biological Association over the last 12+ years, this has involved translocating several adult FWPM from the Esk to a specially designed captive breeding facility. The facility provides an “ark” to better protect our declining number of mussels and to also help rear juveniles through an extensive captive breeding program, waiting until they are ready for reintroductions in the future. Partners have worked extensively at reviewing the Esk’s water quality and has been assessing habitat suitability for future FWPM release, however, much more work is yet to be done.

We also have a dedicated group of volunteers who take part in group task days aimed at reducing diffused pollution, sedimentation and improving riparian habitat through a variety of ways, including riparian fencing, creation of buffer strips, tree planting and bank restorations and stabilisations. These techniques are also key to conserving the mussels host species of salmon and trout, which are vital for the life cycle of the mussel.

River walkover surveys have been undertaken on all watercourses in the catchment, covering over 100km. These were to build a profile of the river network and identify issues affecting water quality, as well as restoration opportunities. Most of the issues recorded were bankside erosion, trampling of the banks by livestock (poaching), and runoff points from fields and farmyards. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has worked alongside landowners to mitigate these issues and improve the river environment, for example installing fencing to prevent livestock accessing the river or enhancing buffer strips.

Groundwork NE & Cumbria have installed new artificial marine habitats at Whitby Harbour, including a living sea wall, rock pools, and hanging fish shelters. These features are designed to boost biodiversity and improve water quality in the estuary. The University of Hull is monitoring their effectiveness to inform future estuary interventions.

Some other project highlights include:

•    Engaged with 12 landowners to deliver capital works
•    6,457m of riverside fencing
•    1ha of riparian buffer strips created
•    0.2 ha of wetland created
•    1.5ha of species-rich grassland creation
•    1ha of wood pasture creation
•    3,343m of hedgerow creation
•    1440 trees planted
•    630 hours of volunteer support

River obstacles, such as weirs, fords, dams, and culverts, can severely impact the localised movement of fish species within rivers and, in the case of some salmonids and the European eel, the migration between rivers and the sea. These barriers to movement can have severe consequences for populations of fish by limiting their ability to move between feeding and spawning grounds. Because of this, river obstacles are considered one of the major threats to populations of some fish species in the UK.

Partners are working with contractors to restore and reconnect the River Esk by removing or modifying in-channel obstacles that pose a threat to fish migration. Plans are in place to completely remove identified structures, replace them with more passable structures or modify them using fish passes to aid movement up-stream.

Invasive non-native plant species (INNS), such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed, pose a serious threat to the health of the Esk and Coastal Streams Catchment. These fast-spreading plants outcompete native species, reduce biodiversity, and destabilise riverbanks, increasing erosion and sedimentation in the water.

Because they often thrive in disturbed or nutrient-rich environments, INNS can quickly dominate riverbanks, wetlands, and woodlands – undermining the natural balance of our ecosystems and making it harder for native plants and wildlife to survive.

INNS work is being carried out through appointment of contractors for larger areas of Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed, and volunteers for smaller patches. Control includes cutting of Himalayan balsam and stem injection to combat Japanese knotweed. INNS control not only has benefits for native vegetation but also prevents further bank erosion and reduces sediment input into the River Esk. In turn, this will improve the water quality of the River Esk and prevent vital salmonid spawning habitat from becoming suffocated.