Three volunteers from Ricap made the trip over to Swainby on Saturday 16th March to find out how Stokesley and Villages Climate Action Group run their successful repair cafe.  We were quickly pressed into action supporting the 'front of house' team, showing people where to go and looking after visitors and repair team with cups of tea, coffee and cake.

Over 30 people visited the cafe from 10am to 12 noon and most of the items were successfully fixed.  Clothes and electrical items were the most popular things brought in, but computers, an umbrella and a small wooden chest were  also added to the roll call of items successfully fixed !

If you would like to get involved in helping to organise the Richmond repair cafe, either as a repairer, front of house or behind the scenes, do get in touch with valerie@richmondshireclimateaction.org. We would particularly love to hear from people with woodwork, sewing or computer fixing skills.

The event will be on Sunday  9th June 2024. 

Posted: 1st April 24

In advance of the upcoming mayoral elections in early May, the North Yorkshire Climate Coalition is putting the prospective mayors on the spot. In addition to an online hustings event on 22nd April, they have also invited all the candidates to respond to questions about what they would do to tackle climate change across the area, and have already received some responses.

To find out more about the husting events and to see the candidate's responses, check out the YNY Mayoral Election 2024 tab on the coalition's website .

Posted: 1st April 2024

We're excited and delighted to announce that we'll be co-hosting (with The Northern Eco ) an informal People Planet Pint meet up in Richmond on Wednesday 5th June. The event will take place at The Buck Inn on Newbiggin in Richmond from 7pm. Its open to everyone, whether you are already involved with Ricap or not, so don't forget to tell your colleagues, friends and family too ! 

To find out more and to pre-register, please visit the dedicated eventbrite page .

Posted 25th Mar 24

Richmondshire Climate Action Partnership has teamed up with Richmond Walking and Book Festival to organise environmentally themed book events, timed to coincide with The Great Big Green Week. 

Confirmed events so far are below. Tickets will be £10,  or £5 for people in full time education or receiving income assessment benefits. Tickets will go on sale on Monday 8th May.  

Saturday 15th June; 7:30 Town Hall, Richmond; Tom Moorhouse; “Elegy for a River”. Tom is an ecologist and author, who for over twenty two years worked for the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford University. His authorial career comprised a number of children's books, including The River Singers, The Rising, and Trickster, all of which drew on ecological knowledge of water voles and rats, and his adult non-fiction comprises Elegy for a River and Ghosts in the Hedgerow. In this talk Tom will introduce you to the wonderful world of water voles, and the conservation challenges they face in Britain. Through his own work he will explain what conservation research actually does, why it hasn't yet achieved the outcomes we all want and need - but why he still has hope for wildlife and our collective future.

Sunday 16th June; Town Hall; Roger Morgan-Grenville; “Across a Waking Land”. In March 2022, acclaimed nature writer Roger Morgan-Grenville set out on a 1000-mile walk, from the Solent to Cape Wrath, to follow the spring as it progressed northwards at a speed of 20 miles per day – roughly the pace at which the oak leaves emerge. Concerned by species loss in the UK, he met the individuals who are helping to reverse it, from the allotments of Sheffield to the peat bogs of Kielder, from regenerative farming in the Cotswolds to the reintroduction of beavers near Inverness. Battling Covid, blizzards and age, encountering the kindness of strangers, Roger’s epic eight-week adventure is both life-affirming and life-changing.

Posted: 1st April 2024

The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Coalition has recently launched a new insight paper on Nature's Recovery. The paper calls for a set of regional actions, including a commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for wildlife by 2030 and developing nature focussed learning opportunities for children.

To read the report, visit Nature's Recovery | Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission (yorksandhumberclimate.org.uk) 

There is also an associated blog by the report author Sam Herbert

on the following link: Can Yorkshire and Humber become the haven our wildlife so desperately needs? | Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission (yorksandhumberclimate.org.uk) 

Posted: 1st April 2024

Ricap members saw the shocking amount of single use plastic waste first hand when we visited Allerton Waste Recovery Park in November. That's why we asked you to take part in this year's Big Plastic Count . 

Over 100,000 households nationally took part in the count, which took place from 11th to 17th March.

Valerie from Richmond took part. Her 2 person household counted 35 pieces of plastic, 94% of which was food packaging, none was cleaning and toiletries, and 6% was everything else. 

If every household has as much plastic waste, then nationally that would be about 51,000,000,000 pieces of plastic waste every year. The biggest category of food packaging snack bags, packets and wrappers, from things like cereal bars and chocolate, and soft packaging for bread, rice, cheese, etc.  It was good to note the absence of black pots, tubs and trays, as we learned that these are impossible for plastic recycling machines to identify, so any black plastic ends up being incinerated - lovely!

Sue from Wensleydale also took part. Sue, who has already made great strides switching away from single use plastics, did rather better. She only counted 19 pieces of plastic, and even then, some of those (coffee pods) turned out to be reusable metal containers !

If you took part in the count we would love to hear about your experience ! Just email your results, your first name and any comments you would like to make to valerie@richmondshireclimateaction.org and we'll publish as many as we can !

Posted: 18th Mar 24, updated 1st April..

Love it or loathe, work on the huge solar farm at Skeeby near Richmond is well underway. It is due to be completed by the end of May and will generate c. 30 MW of renewable energy when it is up and running. Its expected lifespan is 40 years.

Harmony Energy, who promoted the solar farm, have sold it on to Atrato Renewables.  Harmony Energy are now in the early stages of promoting a further 49.9MW solar farm in the area, to the east of Parkgate Lane between Brompton on Swale and Skeeby. Further details will follow. 

Posted: 25th Mar 24

The Station Singers have nominated SOS for a share of funds  raised at their concert, 'Songs For A Fragile World'. 13th April, St Mary's Church Richmond. 6.30pm.

Why not support a worthy cause and have an enjoyable night out? Tickets can be purchased on TicketSource .

A public meeting is also being planned for 8th June at 7pm (venue tbc), to share the results of months of river water quality monitoring so far. If you cant wait, there's a good recent article about it on the Northern Echo website To find out more and keep up to date, check out their Facebook or instagram pages, or sign up for their newsletter, by emailing: saveourswale@gmail.com

posted; 25th Mar 24, updated 1st Aoril 24

Holmedale Community Nature Project is holding the above event on Tuesday 16th April at 7.30pm at Dalton and Gayles Village Hall.

The talk will explore what aspects of a river are considered when deciding if a river is healthy or not from the perspective of the Water Framework Directive, and what to look for in a healthy natural river. The talk will be presented by Charlotte Simmons. Charlotte has worked for over 30 years in conservation from agri-environment work on the ground to project management and now works for the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, hosting a the Dales to Vale Rivers Network, the partnership of people and organisations working together across the Swale, Ure, Nidd, Ouse, Wiske, Foss and Wharfe.  

A  £2.00 donation would be welcome, to include refreshments.

For more background and updates to the Holmedale Community Nature Project, visit their dedicated webpage on the Whashton Parish website .

Posted: 25th Mar 24

Further to Buglife's recent funding award from Natural England to look for potential wildflower habitat creation opportunities around the Coast to Coast walking route, at least three sites in the Richmond area have been identified as having areas suitable for scheme. This is in prt thanks to the local know-how and introductions provided to Buglife by Ricap.

Three adjacent landholdings, in the control of Richmond Town Council (Lady Serena Park), Richmond Landscape Trust and Richmond School, on the eastern fringes of the town could all soon be planted up with wildflowers or pollinator friendly garden plants. Suitable sites will be planted up between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025, and once established, they wil help bugs and other insects move more easily around the area, increasing their chances of survival. The sites identified will complement the excellent existing 'one acre meadow' wildflower planting that has taken place in Swaledale.

To find out more about Buglife and the B Lines project visit B-Lines - Buglife

Updated 25th Mar 24

The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Coalition has just released a new Climate Talking Points briefing, to help drive the agenda on what's needed from government at all levels to be most effective at tackling climate change. 

There are four key policy changes that the Commission believes will do the most to unlock climate action in the region.

1. Set out a clear path to reducing emissions and restoring nature, and empower places to impose targets and go further and faster on that journey than national government targets, if they wish.

2. Create locally managed funding pots, on minimum five-year financial cycles, so that key sectors (eg housing upgrades, public transport, and active travel) don't need to bid repeatedly for multiple, disjointed funding sources.

3. Join up climate, skills, and economy strategies and ensure they address the big challenges together, including ageing populations, poverty, skills shortages, and climate risks.

4. Commit to a 'nature first' approach to publicly funded infrastructure projects so that our buildings and infrastructure can cope with future climate scenarios, and that nature recovery is woven in to all climate actions.

It all makes perfect sense !

For the full briefing, visit: 

YHCC Climate Talking Points 2024 (yorksandhumberclimate.org.uk) 

Posted: 13th Mar 24

Are you a person who likes tinkering and has a skill for fixing things ? If you would like to meet new people and enjoy putting your skills to good use by saving stuff from ending up in recycling and waste centres, then becoming a volunteer 'repairer sharer' could be for you !

We are planning to get our first repair cafe up and running in time to coincide with the national Great Big Green Week (8th to 16th June). A repair cafe is an event where people can bring along their broken or damaged goods and community volunteers have a go at fixing them. The service is usually offered free, or for a small donation to cover running costs.

In appealing for 'repairer sharers', Barbara Gravenor, Ricap chair said, “If you are good at repairing things, then now's the time to break out of your workshop, meet new people and showcase your unique talents. If you have that gift, there's a lot of satisfaction to be had from seeing the pleasure you can bring to people whose possessions can be given new life.”

To find out more about volunteering as a 'repairer sharer', please get in touch with valerie@richmondshireclimateaction.org, indicating what type of things you can repair. You won't have to help to organise the event – we have other volunteers who are good at doing that!

If you know someone else who fits the bill, please pass this appeal on to them, as the opportunity as open to all.

Repairing your personal possessions, whether they be clothes, shoes, bikes, electrical and mechanical goods, furniture or toys, is a great way of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and the amount of new stuff you need to buy. It helps the environment and can help save you money too.

Posted: 21st February 2024

There are several events at this year's Swaledale Festival for you to enjoy during the day that will help raise your understanding and awareness of our treasured local environment and its fragility.

26th May - Guided Walk: Dales Flora and Fauna

28th May  - Guided Walk: Woods, Waterfalls and Wild flowers

31st May - Film: Six Inches of Soil

5th June - Guided Walk: Hawes to Shore Ghyll

6th June- Guided Walk: Fauna, Flora and Streams

For more information, times and tickets, browse the Swaledale Fesitval programme via the following link:

Swaledale Festival | Programme - List View (swalefest.org) 

Posted: 7th Mar 24

Schools in our area will soon be able to apply for more funding to subsidise the cost of installing EV charging points. North Yorkshire is one of 5 areas nationally where the Government is contributing up to 75% of the costs, up to a maximum of £2,500, to help encourage more drivers to switch to electric vehicles.

State-funded schools, colleges, nurseries and academies are all entitled to apply for the grant, as long as they have off-road parking facilities.

Who will be able to use them? How much will they cost to use ? Will they be able to charge electric bikes too ? Hopefully, we can share more informaiton soon....

Electric vehicles: North Yorkshire schools offered charge point funding - BBC News 

Posted: 8th Feb 2024

A big shout out to all the members of the Richmond School Eco Club,  who are being ever more creative and powerful in leading the way on taking action to care for the local environment. 

After being awarded a runner up spot in the North Yorkshire Council 'Caring for the Environment' category of community action awards in October ( Eco club wins prestigious award), students from all year groups of the Eco Club carried out a joint litter pick of the school grounds with Richmond Methodist Primary School in November, collecting 11 bags of litter and recyclables........, and a pair of new football boots (eco club and methodist school litter pick )! 

In December, two of the Eco Club's leading students, Hannah Slater and Cameron Smith, spoke at an assembly of all their Sixth Form College peers, reminding them of the real challenges our environment faces and inviting the audience to be curious and take action (sixth form students deliver environmental message).

It's great to see our young people so engaged with environmental issues and reaching out to the wider community.. watch this space for further updates on their activities. 

We invite other schools to follow their lead! 

Posted: 29th Jan 2024

The Station Environmental Group are investigating the possibility of making this into an environmental walk by adding information posts with mojos to provide information on what to see at different times of the year. 

The Group is currently looking at the permissions it will need to do so, and fundraising for the project. 

The Group is made up of staff and trustees from The Station, a volunteer from Ricap, and two young people from local schools. 

Watch this space for further updates. 

Posted :29th January 2024

In recent years agroforestry, the concept of growing trees on land that's also used to produce crops or graze livestock, has gained in popularity. In modern agroforestry systems, trees generally occupy only a small proportion (perhaps five percent) of the farmed area and if planted in regular lines (as in a typical orchard) cause only minor disruption to the operation of farm machinery on the rest of the land.

Nevertheless, planting trees will require initial effort and some subsequent maintenance, so what are the advantages? Enthusiasts for agroforestry say that in return for the loss of a small percentage of crop or livestock area, trees provide an extra source of income from the timber produced and a host of environmental benefits.

The presence of trees slows rainfall runoff and reduces soil erosion while the build-up of leaf litter and the activity of tree roots help build soil organic matter, providing "free" nutrients to crops and grass. In addition, trees assist sustainable crop management by hosting birds and predatory insects which feed on crop and livestock pests. Last but not least, trees provide shelter for both crops and animals and shade grazing livestock in summer. 

In recognition of these environmental benefits, the Government is introducing a range of new agroforestry options under its Environmental Land Management Scheme. These will include both arable and grassland options and offer payments of up to £849 per hectare for higher density tree planting.

In the medieval period, livestock grazing and timber production were often combined on what were known as "wood pastures". Historical examples of these pastures have been identified in Swaledale and it's therefore not strictly correct to call agroforestry a new kind of farming. It will be interesting to see whether the current efforts to promote a more modern version of the same approach to diversifying land use are successful. 

Posted: 29th January 2024

LATEST NEWS

Defra has  just announced changes to its Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship Schemes. The changes cover both new and existing agreements. 

Fifty new options will be on offer to farmers and land managers in 2024 and payments are due to increase by an average of 10% this year. The application process will also be streamlined.

Dales farmers can benefit from a range of new and improved options.  These include a payment for low density grazing on moorland and another for managing non-peat moorland soils to reduce surface run-off after heavy rainfall, helping to lower flood risk. The increased threat of wildfires on moorland has also been addressed by a new payment to maintain fire breaks.

After lobbying by farmers, Defra had also recognised that the existing payment for conserving species-rich grassland does not properly reflect the extra costs involved and has agreed a big increase in the annual payment from just £182 to £646 per hectare.

Full details of how to apply, the choices on offer and payment rates are given in the SFI Handbook. To see a copy, just click this link .

BACKGROUND

The Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI) is the element of the revamped Countryside Stewardship Scheme designed to have the most widespread appeal to farmers looking to make up for the loss of their subsidy payments. Subsidy payments are being reduced year and by year and will be phased out altogether by the end of 2027. 

SFI offers three-year agreements to both owner-occupiers and tenants.  and was expanded in 2023 to cover a wide range of farming practices including soil conservation, nutrient management, integrated pest control and livestock health. It offers environmentally friendly options on virtually all types of farmland, including arable, horticultural, grassland and moorland. 

To read more about the changes for farmers and farming, scroll down the page to Frank Broughton's very informative piece INSIGHT - 'Revolution in the countryside'.

Click here here to view all of Frank's agricultural policy articles.

last updated 15th January 2024

It's great to see that our friends at Save our Swale are not letting up with their activity to maintain awareness of local river pollution. 

Their plans for 2024 include regular ongoing Water Quality Monitoring(WQM) and preparations for the application for Designated Bathing Water Status (DBWS), so the River Swale can be safe for recreation and wildlife.

Though its still early days, their water quality monitoring is showing clear differences between the Swale water in the upper dale and that in the Richmond and Brompton areas. Levels of minerals, phosphate and nitrogen increase progressively downstream - by up to ten times in some measures. Of particular interest is the level of coliform bacteria (think E. coli) which also increase downstream, with variable but often high levels recorded at some locations and certainly higher than those required for bathing water status.

Interestingly, they report that the Environment Agency have only been testing the River Swale for ammonia and oxygen levels, whereas SOS volunteers are testing regularly for nitrates, phosphates bacteria and Ecoli - arguably more comprehensive indicators of river health.

If you haven't already done so, you can sign up for their Save Our Swale Newsletter here. To find out more, head over to their SOS facebook page: Save Our Swale | Facebook 

Posted 11th July 2023, last updated 23rd Jan 2024

Have you ever wondered why the grass verges that run alongside roads and footpaths are often devoid of the variety of flora and fauna that you might think would be there?

Part of the answer lies in the way highway verges are managed by the local highway authority, North Yorkshire Council. A recent guidance note for parish councils, published jointly by the Council, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Plantlife and Blue Campaign makes it clear that highway verges are primarily maintained so that safety of highway users is not compromised, e.g. by physical or sight line obstructions. 

To discover which highway verges are managed by North Yorkshire Council, or by a Town or Parish Council on the NYC's behalf, visit North Yorkshire highways grass cutting map, and zoom in to street level. The sections highlighted in blue are cut five times a year. Any other areas are cut at the discretion of town and parish councils.

What do you think of this approach? Do you know of local examples of where verges are being managed to support biodiversity? 

Posted :29th Jan 2024

The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission (YHCC) has been seeking the public's views on a range of climate change topics. For their latest consultation which is now open, they want feedback on their ideas about how they can help businesses become more adaptive in the face of environmental and economic change. 

To take part, click through to the Commonplace engagement portal , or if you just want to find out more about who and what the YHCC actually is and what they do, then head on over to their website .

Posted 26th Jan 2024

Almost 30 like minded people demonstrated the strength of local feeling about the need for climate action by venturing out to Richmond Town Hall on a wintry November evening, for our Talking Climate Change event.  

The event attracted residents from Richmond and further afield, including Bainbridge, Newton le Willows, Catterick Village, Brompton on Swale and Whashton. 

Led by partnership chair Barbara Gravenor, participants enthusiastically shared their ideas and ambitions for doing more to tackle climate change and care for our environment locally. 

Go to our event reports page for the feedback from this event.

Posted : 30th Nov 23, updated 29th January 2024

An enthusiastic group of local volunteers, staff and clients from Just the Job, Richmond Town Council and Ricap gathered at Lady Serena Park on the eastern outskirts of Richmond to plant up native species of saplings and standard trees at locations around the perimeter of the park. The planting is part of an overall landscaping plan for the park, so that in years to come, people will be able to enjoy different recreation activities and environments from place to place within it. 

The park is owned and managed by Richmond Town Council.

posted: 29th December 2023

Our partners at Just the Job  recently announced their annual seasonal fundraiser for The Big Green Build ..... and if you care for the environment, it sounds like something you won't want to ignore!

The Big Green Build is a pioneering project, incorporating solar panels, green roof, reed bed water filtration, timber frame construction and straw bale insulation. It will provide expansion space for Just the Job, a charity and social enterprise based in Richmond which supports adults with a wide range of abilities in practical, work orientated therapeutic activities, including managing the nearby Rufus woods. £600,000 is needed to  bring the Big Green Build to fruition. . 

Stuck for a unique gift idea? Whether its for yourself or for others, on the The Big Green Build page you are just a couple of clicks away from gifting straw bales or larch cladding!

To read more about the appeal , see this recent article in Richmondshire Today

Posted: 27th Nov 2023

Ricap volunteer Bob Sampson from Newton Le Willows Climate Change Group checked in recently with an update on the group's activity. 

In common with many groups across North Yorkshire, they recently sent a letter to Rishi Sunak, expressing their great disappointment and frustration at his recent backtracking on measures to combat climate change, particularly the delay to the ending of sales of new diesel and petrol vehicles, the postponement of the ban on new fossil fuel boilers to 2035, the scrapping of the requirement for landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties, and the recent approval of the Rosebank development in the North Sea.

The group have also been engaging in making the most of local produce, hosting an apple pressing day recently. Though the crop of apples was considerably lighter than last year, they still managed to produce a good yield of juice - not cider unfortunately!

Looks like something you might want to do in your community? Click here here to find out more about apple pressing.

If you are involved in local eco activities anywhere in Richmondshire, we would love to share your pics and activities, to help inspire others. Please send contributions to valerie@richmondshireclimateaction.org .

Posted: 15th November 2023

The Partnership is delighted to have recently been awarded £150 by Richmond Town Council to support our climate action work in the area. The money will help pay for things like printing, publicity and display materials at the events we organise.... though we do like to reuse and repurpose our existing resources where we can 😊.

Well done to our Chair, Barbara, for putting the bid together and presenting it to the Town Council, and many thanks to the Town Council for their support.

Ricap also made a presentation to the Town Council on 27th November, to raise awareness of what we do, and to encourage them to work together with us going forward. Click here to view the slides we presented - it provides a sneak preview of some of our project ideas for 2024! 

Posted: 15th Nov 23, updated : 28th Nov 23

A big shout out to Richmond and District Angling Society who went fishing on dry land for a change, spending a morning litter picking along the banks of the River Swale in Richmond. To find out if they were more successful on land than they usually are in the water, click through to the Richmondshire Today  article from 20th November. 

Great work guys! It complements the year long efforts of Richmond Pride and Richmond Ricap volunteers to help make Richmond  litter free in '23.! 

Posted: 28th Nov 23

Community energy ambassador and Ricap trustee, Sue Stokes, recently attended the latest Northern Powergrid Stronger Together Partnership meeting. The partnership is to help communities navigate the energy and cost of living crises. This agenda links to climate change because better insulated homes and installing more efficient heating systems can help people to keep just as warm by using and paying for less energy.

Check out out Greener Living webpage and look for the home energy articles for tips and hints on how to save money and energy on your domestic heating.

Also, if you know of anyone vulnerable, e.g an elderly relative or neighbour in poor health, then they might be interested in Northern Powergrid's Priority Services Membership. By becoming a member, you are letting the company know that you might need extra support if there is a power cut. To find out more, go to Northern Powergrid's Priority Services Membership webpage.

Posted: 28th Nov 23

What are you doing on November 24th this year?

In the coming weeks, you will be bombarded with adverts for Black Friday deals. Black Friday is on 24th November, but did you know it is also Buy Nothing Day ? So at last, we can all join in with doing something by doing nothing – what's not to like?

The global campaign started in Mexico in 1992 and arrived in the UK in 2000. Its message couldn't be any simpler: We need to consume less - recycling is good but reducing use is better! 

We can all take simple steps to cut down on what we consume. Then collectively, we will change attitudes towards single use packaging, fast fashion and our throw away culture.

Buy Nothing Day is a 24 hour detox from consumerism and an opportunity for you to tune into the impact we all have on the environment through our shopping.

Posted 30th Oct 2023

Hearty Congratulations to Sustainable Swaledale and Richmond School Eco Group for their recent North Yorkshire Council Community Awards. 

Sustainable Swaledale was overall winner in the 'caring for the environment category', whilst the Richmond School Eco Club was a runner up. Read more on Richmondshire Today  .

Posted: 31st October 2023

If you've recently turned on your heating, you may well be pondering the environmental and economic costs of doing so.

But not everyone in our communities has the time and know-how to do this on their own. If you have a few hours to spare and would like to help others to navigate the best solutions for them, why not consider joining over 500 others across the north by becoming an energy ambassador? 

Training from the Yorkshire Energy Doctor is free and online, so you don't even have to leave your house! 

The next date is Tuesday 28th November, and You can book your place on the following link: Energy Ambassadors | Eventbrite

Locals who have previously done this training have enjoyed getting out and about in the community alongside staff and volunteers from Citizens Advice. 

Check out this short Youtube video to find out more about being a community energy ambassador

Posted: 27th October 2023, updated: 13th Nov 23

Did you know that one of the largest new native woodlands in Britain is being created on 291 hectares of land near Hawes? 

In what the Woodland Trust consider to be one of the boldest projects in the English uplands, it has begun planting over 100,000 new saplings at Snaizeholme, as part of a wider habitat restoration and nature recovery programme, including strengthening the habitats that support red squirrels.

This first phase of tree planting at Snaizeholme is funded by the White Rose Forest through its Trees for Climate funding programme, which is part of Defra’s Nature for Climate fund. The Woodland Trust are not using any plastic tree guards across the site.

For more about this fantastic project, visit the dedicated webpage   on the Woodland Trust's website.

Posted:21st Sept 2023

In the wake of the recent pollution event on Holme Beck and Skeeby Beck, the Richmond and District Angling Society and local volunteers have set up a riverfly monitoring scheme. 

The monitoring is supported by the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and the Environment Agency 

For more details. The Riverfly Partnership (riverflies.org)

posted: 18th Aug 2023

Community-owned River Bain Hyrdo Ltd has exported more than one million kWh (units) of renewable green electricity to the grid, since its hydro plant began operating in June 2011.   It passed the one million kWh milestone on 22nd February 2023.

Located on the River Bain in the village of Bainbridge, Wensleydale, the Archimedes screw (see pic), one of the first for a community in the UK, reliably generates an average of 224 kWh per day over the course of a year. 

The power of water flowing downhill turns the screw which in turn, generates electricity. There has to be enough water flow for it to operate. In 2022 the plant generated 81,675 kWh, on 196 days. That equates to the annual energy requirements of 28 houses. 

The scheme was financed by 190 company shareholders as well as a grant of £50,000 from Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund.  Currently there are 185 shareholders, of which 40 live locally. 

Is  this the Daddy of community climate action projects in Richmondshire? if you know of something bigger or better, please send in the details! 

Or why not check out this map of projects in Richmondshire that was prepared in 2021.  Was there one near you?

Posted 18th Aug 23, updated Nov 23

On Thursday 22nd June 2023, the National Trust laid on a guided walk over Stake Moss at the head of Bishopdale, giving a dozen local walkers the opportunity to learn about the ecology of peat bogs. In their natural state these bogs are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on earth. The walk was led by local National Trust wardens Seb Mankelow and Peter Katic plus Trust ecologist Elizabeth Sullivan. The three leaders gave the party a fascinating insight into the formation of peat bogs, their importance for bio-diversity and the key role they can play in combatting climate change.

The visiting group learned that peat grows in depth by just one millimetre in a good year. The walk leaders drove rods into the peat to assess its depth and measured up to three metres, suggesting the bogs are at least 3,000 years old! In contrast, when it dries out peat is lost at ten to twenty times the rate it was created. Wet cover is essential to peat health and much of this is provided by sphagnum mosses, the main building blocks of peat. 

At present only 20% of UK peat is in near-natural, wet condition. The National Trust is one of a number of bodies working to restore peat bogs, essential work if the UK is to meet its 2050 net zero target. This restoration work focuses on rewetting the peat by installing "leaky" dams in the drainage grips (open drains) created in past decades to dry out the peat surface for the benefit of livestock grazing, grouse shooting or tree planting. The dams help to re-create the wet conditions which favour peat restoration. 

This kind of restoration is expensive (approximately £28,000 per acre in the case of Stake Moss) but very worthwhile. Some Government grant is available to help with these costs but, as always, persuading politicians to cough up money on the scale needed to meet their own environmental targets is difficult! 

Thanks to the National Trust and to Ann Luxmoore of Swaledale Outdoor Club for organising the walk and to Graham Rogers of the SOC for a report on the walk, on which this item is based. Geoff Wall, also of SOC, kindly sent us his photo of leaky dams.

posted: 10th July 2023

In January 2022 land at Thirns Farmhouse in Swaledale was planted with nearly 1,900 trees courtesy of a grant from the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust. The land backs onto registered ancient woodland, extending the wood up the fellside.

With the approval Alf Wight's (aka James Herriot) daughter, Rosie Page, the wood has subsequently been formally named as the James Herriot Woodland in memory of the infamous local author of the All Creatures Great and Small series. You can read more on page three here 

Posted 2022

NYC Friday 26th April 2024