Connecting the Culm
Creating a better future for the River Culm
Working with nature and local communities, we aim to make the river better for wildlife and people, and more resilient to flood and drought. We want to collaborate with those living in the River Culm catchment to help solve the river’s problems. As a part of this, we will use proven nature-based solutions that provide many other benefits too.
One of the project’s main aims is to create a long-term plan for the future of the River Culm that everyone is signed up to – the Blueprint for the River Culm. This will tackle the growing issues of flood and drought, improve water quality in the river, and create a better place for wildlife and people.
Connecting the Culm is managed by Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is supported, financially and otherwise, by a broad partnership of organisations operating under the umbrella of the East Devon Catchment Partnership.
Connecting the Culm is part of Co-Adapt, an international project funded through the Interreg 2-Seas programme of the European Union.
Co-Adapt includes partners in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, all focused on the impacts of climate change on flooding and drought, and how communities can get more involved in tackling the issues.
Steven Johnson, Project Manager for Connecting the Culm, talks about the project and how it will help make the Culm a better place for people and wildlife.
If you want to find all the latest news from the River Culm or the Connecting the Culm Project, you can get it all here on the website or you can sign up to our e-newsletter and receive regular updates in your inbox. Sign up for all the latest news here –
Or email us at hello@connectingtheculm.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Help us design the Culm Blueprint
We are creating a long-term vision for the future of the River Culm…and you can help…
Latest news…
All the latest news and updates about the River Culm and its surrounding landscape
Next Steps for the Forum
November saw the culmination of the first phase of the project, with the launch of the Connecting the Culm Forum following a series of events to raise
Forum Launch Week
The week of 18 - 24 November sees the launch of the Connecting the Culm Forum and a host of ways to get involved and have your say.
Citizen Scientists get active on the Culm
A team of volunteers is now routinely monitoring water quality on the Culm, thanks to the Connecting the Culm project and the Westcountry Rivers Trust Citizen Science
Climate change and its likely impacts in Devon
This article starts with an overview of climate change globally and then moves (see section 5 onwards) into a description of its likely impacts in Devon. It includes
The Blueprint Policy Map
One of the main functions of the Blueprint for the Culm is to coordinate work in the catchment so that people and organisations focus their efforts sensibly.
Discover the Culm event video
The "Discover the River Culm" online event held on 22 October 2020 brought together a galaxy of specialists to detail their knowledge and insights into the science
Soils Matter
A new video from the Westcountry Rivers Trust gives some insights to the importance of soil health, the challenges that different soils pose, and how climate change
Taking care of our white-clawed crayfish
Nicky Green has been working with crayfish in Devon and Somerset for almost twenty years. Her interest has grown over the years to the point that 'crayfishing'
Devon’s beavers are back!
M ark Elliott, Devon Wildlife Trust's Beaver Project Lead, shares the background to and prospects for Devon's now-officially sanctioned wild beavers. The 6th August 2020 will go
Learn the science of the River Culm
Scientific research, data & evidence underpin our vision for a resilient future river
Change is happening more quickly due to climate change and other factors – the river is under greater pressure now than ever before. We are studying the health of the river and trying to predict how its flows, water pollution and wildlife will be affected by the increasing impacts of climate change and other pressures in the future.