How will these resources help you?

We often explore river management in geography lessons, but who actually controls the rivers in England? These resources look at ownership and management of the rivers, then explore the current trend towards the restoration of rivers. While the Environment Agency (EA) manages many elements of English rivers, only a small number of them have public access, making the role of landowners significant. Strategies to restore rivers to a more natural state need to involve a range of stakeholders, going beyond the EA and landowners to include local communities and organisations. Examples of river restoration are provided, along with a discussion of the complexity of such schemes and potential barriers to their success. The ‘further materials’ take the scope of these readings beyond England, embracing river ownership and management issues in Wales, Scotland, the USA and India.