Insights from the Wye Rivers Conference 2025
Rural Adviser, Helen Dale gives insights into the Wye Rivers Conference
The third annual Wye Rivers Conference was held at The Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford in late November 2025.
Organised by Herefordshire Council the conference brought together a broad mix of stakeholders including farmers, landowners, environmental groups, scientists, policy makers and community members, all committed to tackling the complex challenges facing the River Wye catchment.
A number of new and innovative projects were shared throughout the day. It was good to see presentations being led by members of the agricultural community and so many CLA members amongst the speakers. The presentations helped to highlight the work being delivered on the ground, but also the support for research being carried out in collaboration with farmers and landowners across the catchment.
Key themes picked up on throughout the day included an update on the farmer-led landscape scale work being planned through the Wyescapes project and the amazing work being done to benefit biodiversity and water quality along the River Froome by poultry farmer David Watts. Projects using hemp, fungi and gypsum to address some of the environmental issues we face highlight how partnerships across different sectors can help find innovative solutions.
Jim White from S&A Produce explained how they are adapting their business to make sure they remain viable and sustainable into the future. Growing soft fruit in a water stressed catchment, and where there are growing demands for less available water, will inevitably create challenges and require innovative solutions.
If you weren’t able to attend but want to find out more, you can find videos of the individual speaker presentations here
More information on Wyescapes can be found here
