Today, The Wildlife Trusts and RSA Insurance, an Intact company, announce a new 18-month project to map and analyse the economic, environmental and societal benefits of restoring nature along the Trent, England’s longest river from source to sea. The opportunities for nature-based solutions along its 223.5 miles will be examined allowing the partners to create a transformational vision for the Trent’s future, and a blueprint for restoring all rivers in England for the first time. 

At a time when flood, drought, polluted water and lack of access to nature are major threats, the Rivers 2040 project aims seize the opportunity for change presented by the closure of power stations and gravel pits, changes in farming and a post-industrial future for people living along the Trent.  

A new approach to restoring rivers chimes with the independent Cunliffe Review of water management which called for integrated action to tackle pressures from the water industry and other sectors. UK Government is expected to progress new legislation to enact this.  

Rivers 2040 analysis will identify opportune land use changes and ideal locations for: 

• Flood risk management such as through reconnecting rivers to their floodplains
• Providing people with access to nature, recreation and tourism opportunities
• Agriculture and fisheries
• Aggregate extraction alongside restoration of natural habitats 
• Protecting wildlife habitats and restoring others, for example, to help salmon migrate and bring back keystone species such as beavers to manage the habitat 

Dr Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery at The Wildlife Trusts, says: 

“Rivers are in crisis. They are suffering from pollution, disconnection from flood plains and drought – yet earlier this year communities were threatened by floods. At another level, we know that people are healthier and happier when they have wild places to roam on their doorsteps. 

“Like many rivers, the Trent is a shadow of what it once was: its floodplains have been built on, its wildlife much diminished and the climate crisis is now taking its toll. But we now have an opportunity to create a new future for this once great river because we have new tools that can help us understand the river’s value to society. 

“By looking at one catchment as a whole, we’ll be able to demonstrate if, for example, planting trees in a particular place upstream will stop flooding in another location downstream. Or by releasing beavers into one wetland will improve water quality and prevent drought occurring in another. Currently, people tend to think about the river in their own patch – but considering the bigger picture can reap much greater rewards.” 

While detailed proposals exist for individual river catchments, no blueprint has ever been created before to show how to improve a whole river system at this scale. The Rivers 2040 partners believe that by mapping all existing restoration projects along England’s longest river it will be possible to examine their impact as a whole and work out where more nature recovery schemes could boost communities’ resilience. The economic benefits and impacts on the insurance industry and customers will be at the core of the work. 

A recent report ‘Assessing the multiple benefits of natural flood management’ by The Wildlife Trusts showed that every £1 invested in natural flood management is expected to deliver £10 of benefits over 30 years and that nature is one of the best defences against flooding in a changing climate. 

Alison Gardner, Head of Social Impact and ESG at RSA Insurance, an Intact company, says: 

“Ultimately, we want to see more flood resilient communities and that’s exactly what nature-based solutions like Rivers 2040 can deliver. By restoring rivers and floodplains, we can reduce risk, protect homes and livelihoods, and create healthier, more vibrant places to live.”  

Rivers 2040 is a collaboration between Trent Rivers Trust and 8 Wildlife Trusts: Travelling downstream, they are: Birmingham & Black Country Wildlife Trust, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.  

Matt Buckler, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, and Rivers 2040 project sponsor, says: 

“The River Trent is one of the country’s major rivers and flows from its source in Staffordshire through the metropolitan hubs of the Midlands and meets the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, where it finally reaches the North Sea. It flows past about six million people and its tributaries provide millions with drinking water.  

“Historically, its valley had many wetlands and enormous numbers of salmon and other fish swam its length. But today, much of the valley is characterised by intensive agriculture, sand and gravel extraction, industrial pollution, vast power stations and huge development pressure. It’s time to invest in helping nature recover, not least because natural flood management and other measures are good news for people too.” 

The Rivers 2040 vision will be published in the autumn of 2026 and go on to deliver the vision over the next fifteen years. Please see Editor’s Notes below for examples of existing nature recovery projects along the River Trent.