Ballinderry Rivers Trust – Over 30 years at the heart of a community

Mark Horton BSc(Hons) MSc MIFM CEO Our aim

Ballinderry Rivers Trust is dedicated to the conservation, protection and improvement of the rivers and loughs of the Ballinderry River catchment, the western-shore streams of Lough Neagh, and Lough Neagh itself. Local rivers of global importance • Upper Ballinderry River Area of Special Scientific Interest • Upper Ballinderry River Special Area of Conservation Freshwater Pearl Mussel • Lough Neagh Special Protection Area & RAMSAR site

Otter

Stream Water-crowfoot Our objectives Improving Water Quality

Evidence-based projects Protecting and Improving Habitat

Catchment-based approach Conserving Freshwater Species

Education and Partnership working Outreach

Research and Development Meanwhile…back in 1984… Community Action Potted history…

1984 2006 2011 2016

• BALLINDERRY • BREA becomes • BREA changes • Ballinderry RIVER charity for tax its name to Rivers Trust ENHANCEMENT purposes BALLINDERRY registered with ASSOCIATION is RIVERS TRUST the Charity established Commission for • Trout hatchery NI

1994 2004 2011

• Community • Project • Staff transfer Not for profit secured with to Business WWF NI BALLINDERRY • Profits gifted • One more staff RIVERS TRUST to BREA employed • Company • Three staff continues employed donating profit to the TRUST 2018 – The Team

Patron – Joe Mahon Structure of the Trust Board of Trustee • 14 Voluntary Trustees – Local river users, community groups and business

Executive team • Mark Horton CEO • Alan Keys Senior Project Manager • Frank Mitchell Project Officer • David Bell Assistant Project Officer

Volunteers • During 2016/17 - 60 volunteers (920 hrs = £20,561) • During 2017/18 – 115 volunteers (1762 hrs = £35,379) Fundraising • Government funding • Trust funds & grant giving bodies • Corporate sponsorship • Social enterprise – Trading Arm • Membership • Donations Turning point in the journey of Ballinderry Rivers Trust… Community-led Action Plan for the Ballinderry River Over 300The people RIPPLE contributed Project to the was a turning point because: visions for the Ballinderry• Engaged River the wider catchment community Ø We want better• accessCreated along the rivera strategic catchment plan for delivery Ø We want a better• understandingCreated of lastingthe and meaningful partnerships river environment • Built trust between Trust-Government, Trust-Landowners Ø We want a clean river Ø We want• moreAnswers wildlife in -and How along have the you identified the need for this project? river• Since RIPPLE the trust has secured the trust has secured around Over 100 actions appeared£996,000 in the (average £125k pa) to deliver projects Action Plan – many have now been implemented• Provided a simple but affective process for others to adopt What we are doing now… (last 5 years) Understanding the bigger picture… Data & Evidence gathering Fisheries Assessments

• 66 monitoring sites • Annual and tri-annual rota • Data helps to inform supplementary stocking from our trout and salmon conservation breeding programme and to assess host densities for freshwater pearl mussel Freshwater pearl mussel Survey Its like They told me looking for a eyes needle in a down…bottoms hay stack up Priority Species Surveys Identifying Pressures and Impacts Silt Critical Source Areas Improving the health of our rivers and loughs… …improving water quality

Ballinderry Riverfly Monitoring Initiative …working with landowners

The Trust has been working with landowners one-to-one to identify and resolve pressures on the freshwater environment …improving habitat (for trout and salmon) We have improved spawning and nursery habitat for trout and salmon in over 40 kilometres of rivers and streams in the Ballinderry River system Lissan Nursery Improvement

112% increase

253% increase 442% increase 236% increase …improving habitat (freshwater pearl mussel) Working with landowners we have been able to reduce silt entering the river and improve the survival rate of juvenile freshwater pearl mussel • 72 landowners (over £175,000 invested on farms since 2014) • 24,000m of stock-proof fencing • 3500m of bank stabilisation works • 3000 native willow planted • 60+ pasture pumps installed Closing livestock watering points Providing alternative water supply Bank protection – rock revetment Bank protection – xmas tree revetment Conserving and protecting… Conservation Breeding Programmes Our team have been working in collaboration with a number of organisations to develop and run, cutting edge, conservation breeding programmes for some of the world’s most imperilled freshwater species

• Freshwater pearl mussel Globally Endangered • White-clawed crayfish Globally Endangered • Atlantic salmon Local concern • Brown trout Local concern • Dollaghan trout Local concern Working with industry to improve biodiversity… Our team have been working with local businesses to ensure that some of the worlds most endangered freshwater species have a home in the Ballinderry River Reintroduction Programmes Each year we release around ¼ million baby trout and salmon to the river. We are currently undertaking one of the largest reintroductions of captive-bred freshwater pearl mussel ever seen – 2500 young mussels released so far Education and learning… River School Our River School is a unique, interactive, learning space where young and old can unleash their ‘inner-scientist’ and explore the world of freshwater. Using the river as an outdoor classroom… We are the only charity in Northern Ireland delivering an education programme focused on rivers and freshwater • Water World – This programme introduces children to the idea of water as a precious resource which we must share and protect across the planet. • Water, water, everywhere • Only rain down the drain • Water footprint • Real River Study – The Lissan Water Outreach… We are bringing the river into the classroom and to public events

• Trout in the Classroom (19 schools; 690 children over last two years) • Mayfly in the Classroom • Rivers on the Move (2500 children last 2 yrs) Looking ahead The work goes on….. Mark Horton BSc (Hons) MSc MIFM Chief Executive Officer [email protected] 07572 287509

Ballinderry Rivers Trust 231a Orritor Road Cookstown County Tyrone BT80 9NB www.ballinderryriver.org

Learn | Conserve | Protect | Enjoy