@wildtrouttrust
Experts in enhancing rivers and empowering others to do the same. By improving river habitat for wild brown trout, we protect all kinds of freshwater wildlife. Our charity is active across the UK and Ireland 🐟 www.wildtrout.org
This shows the importance of woody material in rivers: by channelling the water’s flow, it scours away sediment and creates spawning habitat that can be used by numerous species! 🌲
Could we help you to get your river in great shape for wildlife? www.wildtrout.org/content/advi...
Using their sucker-like mouths, the lampreys work together to dig a nest in the riverbed. Here, they seem to have chosen an old brown trout redd as their nesting site, possibly because it offers a patch of clean, loose gravel 🐟
What a magical sign of spring! Rob Mungovan spotted this gathering of brook lampreys in the Hoffer Brook – a chalk stream in Cambridgeshire. These reclusive fish like to hide on the bottom of rivers. But around this time of year, they congregate in shallower waters to breed 💧
The auction enables us to make a difference for wild trout and their rivers throughout the year. If you’re able to take part, you’ll be treating yourself and supporting crucial conservation work nationwide. The auction will be open for bidding from 13-22 March: auction.wildtrout.org
You can now browse the 447 fantastic Lots in our 2026 auction! There is plenty to get excited about: art, books, experiences, fishing tackle, hand-tied flies, and fishing days across the UK, Ireland, and overseas. Prices start from just £5.
Swing by the Arundell Hotel on 14 / 15 March, to chat with us at the Westcountry Trout Festival 🐟 Enjoy fishing, fly tying, and casting demonstrations, with special guests @nigelnunnflies.bsky.social Charles Jardine, Alex Jardine, and Dominic Garnett: www.fishingshop.thearundell.com/products/wes...
Luke taught Ryan to fish when they were younger, and their family has many cherished memories of these times together. We’re so grateful that Ryan is helping us to care for the kinds of places that Luke worked tirelessly to protect. Read Ryan's story: www.wildtrout.org/wttblog/runn...
Shortly after Luke’s passing, his family generously donated £1,785 to us - a thoughtful and deeply appreciated gift. Since then, Luke’s brother Ryan has decided to further celebrate his life by running the 26-mile Leeds Marathon in his memory, and has very kindly chosen to raise funds for us.
Last autumn, you may recall us sharing the sad news that Luke Hussey had passed away. Luke was a warm and insightful young man with a lifelong love for rivers. As well as working in river restoration, he spent his free time volunteering with environmental charities, including our own.
Applications close at 5pm on Tuesday 10th February 2026. The first round of interviews will be held online on 16th and 17th February. More info: www.wildtrout.org/news/wild-tr...
Our mascot, the brown trout, is an ecosystem superstar. Not only is it a brilliant indicator of river health, but it also thrives in complex habitats. So by improving rivers for trout, we can help many kinds of wildlife.
Could you make a real difference for rivers? We're seeking a Vice Chair and a Trustee to join us at an exciting time for our charity! Our work spans the UK and Ireland, combining evidence-based insight, hands-on experience, and partnership with organisations and communities.
If you follow Farming Today on BBC Radio 4, you might have heard Tim Jacklin talking about our upcoming restoration project on the River Witham in Lincolnshire. This project will enhance the river’s water quality, wildlife habitat, and floodwater storage capacity 💧 www.wildtrout.org/news/wild-tr...
If you'd like to support our work and enjoy events like these, why not join us today? Learn more: www.wildtrout.org/content/memb...
We had a great time with some of our marvellous members at the weekend! They braved the rain to join Jonny Grey for a guided walk along the River Aire, Goredale Beck, and Malham Beck. Jonny highlighted the key issues, and also the habitat improvements we've made or have planned for this summer🐟
This guidance was developed in partnership with the Environment Agency, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Nottingham Trent University, and Wessex Rivers Trust, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Download your copy: www.wildtrout.org/news/new-pra... 🧵 4/4
We’re delighted to share a new manual for those involved in managing winterbournes or the land that surrounds them. It offers practical advice on factors like sediment, flooding, grazing, non-native invasive species, and vegetation management 🧵 3/4
Winterbournes have immense ecological value. Some insects, like the scarce purple dun, have evolved to thrive in their changeable conditions. When in flow, these streams can be fantastic spawning and nursery areas for wild brown trout 🧵 2/4
You may have heard of chalk streams - those incredibly rare ecosystems that number around 200 worldwide. But you may not be familiar with winterbournes; even rarer habitats found in some of the uppermost chalk stream tributaries 🧵 1/4
In a guest blog for our friends at Sportfish, Theo explains how our team have applied this theory in our work on the River Witham. Check it out: sportfish.co.uk/blog/low-tec... 🧵 3/3
Woody material can be a huge boon to rivers. By directing the water's flow, it helps to sweep away silt that might otherwise prevent brown trout from spawning. It also provides complex habitat for fish, invertebrates, and other wildlife 🧵 2/3
Several years ago, Theo Pike and Tim Jacklin from our team attended a learning programme about an interesting concept called ‘Low Tech Process Based River Restoration’. The idea is simple: mimic the natural processes that deposit, and retain, wood in river channels 🧵 1/3
How do you explore your connection to nature? In his guest blog, Clay Thompson shares how rivers have inspired him to create beautiful illustrations of freshwater fish and other British wildlife - "creatures as untamed and beautiful as any exotic bird" 🐟 Read here: www.wildtrout.org/wttblog/line...
You can read the fascinating full analysis on the River Worth Friends website: riverworthfriends.org/blog/monitor...
Looking at brown trout, the surveys have seen an uptick in fry numbers - this could reflect progress towards suitable conditions for this vulnerable life stage. The trend for older fish is flatter, which could indicate that food or habitat availability is a limiting factor for them 💧
Over the years, the survey teams have found eight different species: brown trout, grayling, bullhead, gudgeon, stone loach, minnow, three-spined stickleback, and brook lamprey. Our Conservation Officer Jonny Grey led the surveys, and recently shared his analysis of the data 📈
For the last five years, we've teamed up with the River Worth Friends and Aire Rivers Trust to survey fish species in the River Worth. Using electrofishing equipment, we briefly stun the fish so that they can be counted and measured. They are then safely returned to the river 🐟
Congrats to Nicky Nicklin on this fantastic find, which she spotted while volunteering with the Watercress and Winterbournes scheme. If you'd like help with habitat creation, please do get in touch 🧵 4/4 More info: www.wildtrout.org/content/advice-and-practical-help
The fry from this redd will have a real advantage. One short swim, and they'll find countless places to hide with a reduced risk of being predated from the air. They'll also be able to avoid each other - crucial for a territorial species 🧵 3/4
When brown trout fry emerge from the riverbed gravels, they are enormously vulnerable. Being just a few centimetres long, they are at the mercy of predators and the current. If they want to survive, they must find shelter, and fast 🧵 2/4
