Groundwork North Wales will be supporting The Welsh Dee Trust in working with the communities living within the river Gwenfro catchment.

The project aims to assess the impact of potential flood risk and pollution levels along the river. The project will engage communities through events and education sessions to improve understanding of the river habitat.

The river Gwenfro flows from the Clwydian hills and farmland down through the City Centre of Wrexham, and into the river Clywedog which then feeds into Dee Special Area of conservation. Unfortunately, the river Gwenfro in places is not in good health, suffering from fly-tipping, invasive species, and pollution. It also presents a flood risk in certain areas.

Groundwork North Wales will be delivering:

Healthy Rivers sessions – working with schools along the route of the River Gwenfro. As well as delivering positive educational outcomes, these will provide a means of consultation about future plans for the river. These will include:

  • Visit to the River Gwenfro, where safe and appropriate access can be arranged.
  • River geography and safety.
  • Food webs and the importance of biodiversity.
  • River pollution and how this links to climate change.
  • How to keep rivers clean and healthy.
  • Interactive and engaging exercises to conduct age-appropriate consultation about the river and its present state.

Community engagement sessions – taking place in communities along the route of the river. These will have a dual purpose of education and consultation.

  • Fun events for families such as guided walks/river dipping sessions to spot and identify wildlife, creative activities that promote understanding of rivers such as miniature raft-making.
  • Community engagement events including litterpicks along the rivers, awareness-raising talks/demonstrations at community venues about the links between river pollution and climate change.
  • Consultation surveys – to identify concerns or thoughts about the river’s current condition, how well people use or understand the river, and what they would like to see in its future. 

To get involved with the project or for further info please call 01978 757 524 or email info@groundworknorthwales.org.uk