Since the dawn of time, people have built their homes, their towns, their cities on the banks of important major rivers ensuring a constant water supply for them to live and thrive. Sheffield is no different, the city was born on the banks of both the River Sheaf and River Don and not a lot has changed since.
The two rivers remain major factors in the city and now Sheffield City Council has joined the Riverlution project to clear fly-tipping, treating invasive species and managing vegetation and blockages city wide.
The Riverlution team have the goal of restoring, protecting and celebrating the city’s rivers and riparian habitats for the benefit of people, places and wildlife and have already cleared more than 84 tonnes of litter and debris from the rivers on land not owned by the Council. With the Council joining the Sheffield Stewardship Partnership, over 150 km of rivers and watercourses currently flowing through council land will be cleaned and improved for future generations to enjoy.
Sheffield was built on its rivers – they powered the Industrial Revolution and helped shape the identity of our city. Today, they remain vital assets, cherished by those who live near our blue corridors and enjoyed as places of nature, calm and connection.
But with a changing climate, these same rivers also can pose increasing risks. Flooding events that were once considered rare are now happening more frequently, threatening lives and our city’s economic prosperity. That’s why careful stewardship of our waterways is more important than ever and we all have to step up and play our part.
The Riverlution project is a fantastic example of how we can look after our rivers, keeping them clean, resilient and accessible for generations to come. The team has already done a remarkable job, and with the Council now joining as a member alongside so many local businesses, the project is only set to go from strength to strength. I'd encourage everyone to get involved.
Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council
Riverlution and it’s parent company The River Stewardship Company have been actively caring for Sheffield’s Rivers since 2007 and as the saying goes, many hands make light work, it’s only thanks to the kind of partnership that the Council have joined us in that we can achieve so much on the rivers and riparian areas of the city.
As well as the Council, small and large business alike support the partnership to help Riverlution achieve fantastic results on the rivers, such as the removal of over 118 tonnes of litter and debris last year, or the removal of invasive species from over a quarter or a million square meters of river bank and the delivery of over 2500 hours of free training to people hoping to enter the environmental sector as new career entrants.
Geoff Guy, Managing Director of Riverlution
To find out more about the Riverlution and how your businesses can get involved, you can check out the Riverlution website by clicking here.