Origins
The River Eden Sustainability Partnership (RESP) was conceived in 2022 as a response by the partners to their concerns about the River Eden in Fife. This quickly grew into a catchment-wide ambition to find source-to-sea solutions to the issues facing the river and its tributaries.
We want to see…
A restored river corridor, rich in biodiversity, free from invasive non-native species, resilient to climate change and connected to the community for well-being and economic benefit.
The Issues
Currently classified as poors or moderates by SEPA, the Eden has suffered in recent years from fish declines and loss of the vital river weed, water crowfoot or Ranunculus aquatilis. Climate change has led to intense autumn and winter storms causing flooding and erosion, and summer droughts where water levels are low and temperatures elevated, leading to stresses on the instream and bankside wildlife.
Significant pollution incidents occurred in 2018 and 2021 but even prior to that, levels of diffuse and point-source pollution were high from both agricultural run-off and sewage outfalls. In addition, non-native invasive plant species (INNS) have taken hold in many areas, shading out the native flora and leading to further erosion.
The Partners
RESP is in its infancy, and we are keen to engage with a wide range of stakeholders in looking after the health of our river. Currently the main partners are:
Sustainable Cupar is a local community group that was set up in 2009 to help Cupar become a thriving, environmentally friendly town. Sustainable Cupar was incorporated as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2011. The groupss aims include raising awareness of climate issues and supporting change to more sustainable lifestyles.
The Eden Angling Association is a not-for-profit organisation, open to all. We promote the sport of angling for salmon, sea trout and brown trout on the Fife shire river Eden as a facility for members of the Association for fishing, and for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. We aim to restore and conserve the river, improving its habitat and encouraging biodiversity.
We are a local independent charity based at the Harbourmasterss House in Dysart, dedicated to giving everyone the opportunity to experience Fifess great outdoors.
The Trust manages, maintains and preserves wide areas of the countryside of Fife, promoting responsible access to our wonderful and diverse outdoor sites.
We look after over 60 sites and path networks throughout Fife including the Fife Coastal Path, the Lomond Hills Regional Park, local nature reserves and other locations which are important for recreation and conservation.
St Andrews University (a collaborative partner)
The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of St. Andrews seeks to understand and address issues created by current and future climate change. Staff and students from the University are involved in the River Eden project.
Meet the Team
At present we are in the process of exploring the best governance structure for the River Eden partnership. RESP is keen to create a broad coalition of partners who will work together for the benefit of the whole river catchment. Our management group is made up entirely of volunteers.
Management Group
The following volunteers assist the Chair and Secretary in managing various project elements:
Michael Farrell
Chair, RESP
Sarah Davidson
Secretary, RESP
Margaret-Anne Hutton
Sustainable Cupar
Nicola Allison
St Andrews University/ Sustainable Cupar
Dallas Seawright
Conservation Manager, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust
Julia McCarthy
John Henderson
Alastair Grierson
Steering Group
RESP has a steering group which meets monthly. This includes the Chair, Secretary, and Management Group, as well as a wider range of collaborators and interested parties.
RESP is currently seeking new members to represent the different interested parties in the catchment including – landowner/ land managers, members from different parts of catchment, representatives from business.
Please contact us if you are interested in being involved.
