Friends of the River Yarrow

Aims & Objectives

Friends of River Yarrow (FrY), a voluntary community group, was formed in millennium year 2000 to identify and address issues that impact upon the environmental quality of the River Yarrow, its tributaries, and its surroundings, with the overall objective of improving the habitat for a wide range of species.

The emphasis from the outset was on taking action to remedy identified problems, such as bank erosion, obstructions to flow and the creation of fish-passes at weirs, which prevent or make it difficult for migratory fish to reach the more productive spawning grounds upstream. FrY also aimed to engage local community interest, particularly amongst school children and contribute to their educational process.

More recently FrY became a charity and was entered in the Central Register of Charities with effect from 5 May 2005.

Todays overall objects are:

to advance the conservation, protection, rehabilitation, remediation, restoration and improvement of the river, streams, watercourses and water impoundments together with the related bankside and estuary including the flora and fauna of the River Yarrow, Lancashire for the benefit of the public.
to advance the education of the public in the understanding of the River Yarrow, its streams, watercourses and water impoundments together with the related bankside and estuary including the flora and fauna.

Specific objectives are :

Protection and improvement of the riverside environment and the improvement in water quality of the Yarrow and its tributaries.
Enhancement of the wildlife of the river and associated habitats.
Encouragement of healthy fish stock throughout the river system.
Removal of barriers to migratory fish, particularly salmon and sea trout.
Provision of a more attractive environment for users of the bank side Rights of Way
Identification of educational opportunities aimed at raising awareness of riverside issues."

Habitat improvement is achieved by creating 'buffer strips' on bank sides, particularly where grazing by farm stock occurs. This has the effect of removing or reducing the amount of nutrient input into the river. Cattle and related 'fertilisers' cause excesses in nutrients, which contribute towards nutrient rich (eutrophic) groundwater. This has the effect of creating algae which grow excessively and produce adverse effects on the ecology and water chemistry of the river--this can be detrimental to fish and other water species.

To create the buffer strips fencing the river bank is essential, particularly where heavy stock grazing occurs. The fenced buffer strip allows the planting of trees as well as encouraging indigenous plant growth, one important result of which is to reduce bank erosion and resulting siltation.