A pioneering partnership between the North Devon World Surf Reserve (NDWSR), the National Trust, Earth Action North Devon (EAND) and the Save the Waves Coalition is driving an ambitious effort to restore and protect North Devon’s rivers, beginning at Combesgate, near Woolacombe.
The pilot Coastal Rivers project aims to improve river health, slow the flow to reduce erosion and flooding, and enhance water quality that feeds into the North Devon World Surf Reserve. By working with the landscape rather than against it, the project is already showing how practical, low-cost interventions can make a measurable difference.
In the Combesgate valley, the National Trust team has completed 27 interventions so far, involving the removal and breaking up of historic land drains and the installation of nature-based measures including leaky dams and baffles. These structures help slow the flow of water and trap sediment before it reaches the beach – reducing polluted runoff from land into the surf zone. By holding more water in the landscape for longer, these interventions help filter pollutants, reduce erosion, support wetland creation, and increase carbon capture and biodiversity. Early monitoring suggests these natural measures are already improving water quality and building resilience.
Thanks to seed funding from the Save The Waves Climate Mitigation Fund, match funding from the National Trust via the Species Survival Fund (funded by Defra), and generous support from Dryrobe, the National Trust team has already made a strong start in the Combesgate valley. Early work is showing how natural interventions, such as restoring vegetation, reconnecting floodplains, and managing runoff, can help rivers recover and thrive.
“This project is about regeneration – restoring balance between land, water, and the coast,” said Claire Moodie from EAND. “With heavier, more intense rainfall now a reality of climate change, we need low-cost, nature-led interventions like these. The work at Combesgate shows how practical solutions can make a measurable difference to water quality and local resilience.”
Alex Palmer, Project Manager, Riverlands, National Trust: “Our Coastal Rivers project aims to improve the smaller streams running directly into sea from our landholding and beyond. These streams are not only important habitats for the species that use them, they are also the last line of defence to stop pollutants entering the marine environment. We are already seeing improvements to these water courses and hope by working in partnership with other landowners we can further enhance their effectiveness.”
The pilot at Combesgate will act as a blueprint for expanding similar restoration work to other rivers and tributaries that flow through National Trust land into the World Surf Reserve, with a long-term goal of improving five catchments across North Devon.
“Our coastal rivers are unregulated and underfunded. It’s down to organisations like the National Trust and smaller, local conservation charities and local landowners to improve river quality and biodiversity,” added Claire. “You can help us continue and fast track this work.”
The project has launched a Crowdfunder and every £1 donated towards interventions will be match funded by the National Trust, meaning support goes twice as far.
Those wishing to contribute to the project’s growth can visit the Coastal Rivers Project crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/coastal-rivers
Adam Hall, co-founder of NDWSR: “Feeling powerless about coastal water quality? We get it. That’s why we’ve created something simple but powerful that everyone can do. As heavier rainfall and runoff events increase, projects like this matter more than ever.”
There is a short introductory film on the project here: https://youtu.be/d9KgyXfhHlk?si=rGo-RCwqSM0ggVYs
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