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Herefordshire Council Annual Rivers Conference 2025

Our third annual Rivers Conference in late November 2025 brought together farmers, land owners, environmental groups and industry experts to look at innovative new solutions to help protect and restore the River Wye and tributaries.

Watch a short highlights video:

The conference covered projects underway on Wye tributaries the rivers Arrow, Lugg and Frome, findings from key national research, and progress with local pilots. A packed audience heard from speakers, including farmers across Herefordshire highlighting projects, including:

  • The Mowley Valley habitat restoration and creation scheme on the river Arrow
  • Farm management solutions to improve river health
  • Mineral gypsum's role in improving soil conditions, reducing run off, and preventing phosphates losses
  • Biochar's role as a novel treatment to retain nutrients in the soil and improve water quality
  • An integrated farm management approach at Little Froome Farm, Bromyard
  • The large-scale Wyescapes Landscape Recovery project, already involving around 50 farms

We welcome your feedback, and interest in involvement in future Rivers Conferences, please email climate@herefordshire.gov.uk

Watch the session videos:

Welcome and introduction - CEO Paul Walker and Cllr Swinglehurst

Presence of the Wye and Tributaries - Louise Bodnar

Wye Solutions - Pat Stirling

The Mowley Valley Project - Catherine Janson

Wyescapes - Mark Wood and Ben Andrews

Water security in thirsty soft fruit crops - Jim White

Farm management for river health - David Watts

Panel 1 - Chaired by Kate Speke-Adams

Biochar promoting nutrient capture in soil and water - Dan Wrench

Fungi: Farming's forgotten ally - Phil Gorringe and Marlow Renton

Hemp for healthy soils, clean energy and carbon removal - Jamie Bartley

Catchment land and ecosystem approach for resilience - Simon Evans

Gypsum - Ben Taylor-Davies and Rosie Willmott

Panel 2 - Chaired by Nicola Cutcher