Eden Rivers Trust and West Cumbria Rivers Trust invite nature enthusiasts to participate in The Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch.

From September 22-24, the public can aid in recording observations of rivers and their ecosystems.

A new app will establish an extensive database of river health across the whole of the UK and Ireland.

Jodie Mills, Director of West Cumbria Rivers Trust said: “Our rivers are the lifeblood of our environment, our wildlife is dependent upon them and they provide our communities with their water supply as well as sanctuary and adventure. We all care deeply about our rivers, but they should be in better health.”

Elizabeth Radford, CEO of Eden Rivers Trust said: “The Big River Watch is a fantastic opportunity for people to understand more about their blue spaces and help paint a national picture of the health of our rivers so that we can make informed decisions about how to revive them so that people and nature can thrive.”

App users are requested to spend 15 minutes by their local river, answering questions related to the flora, fauna, pollution signs, and flow levels.

Well-known issues like sewage, agricultural and chemical effluence, and severe habitat degradation harm rivers in the UK and Ireland.

Results from Big River Watch will highlight local, regional, and national issue prevalence and will aid in strategic improvement directives and potential policy change.

The app will also log the mental and physical benefits of being outdoors.

The Big River Watch app is available from the Apple Store or Google Play.