Our UK rivers are facing unprecedented pressure. And so are rivers all over the world. From pollution and chemical runoff to habitat loss and climate change, protecting these vital waterways requires more than isolated efforts. It demands collective action, and this is the goal of the UK charity Supporting Wounded Veterans, hosting the Forum.
On May 12th & 13th the 2026, the Rivers’ Forum returned to Micklefield Hall in Hertfordshire to tackle these challenges head-on. This unique, invitation-only event brought together a diverse group of leaders from ex-military, policy, science, farming, disaster prevention (Global MapAid), international industry, and conservation.
Rather than just hosting another talking shop, the forum’s goal was to build the relationships and momentum needed to drive real environmental change.
MapAid attendees included Rupert Douglas-Bate and Nathalie Houdret. One of the reasons we attended to was to consider “complete system thinking” – how does pollution in rivers, in the UK or anywhere, affect climate change effects across the world?
What Makes the Rivers’ Forum Different?
In a world of sound bites, fake news, and incomplete knowledge, the forum is built on the idea that solving river pollution requires everyone to sit, physically, at the same table—including voices that don’t often speak to one another, and at least listen and respond calmly, factually, and completely. Not always easy, but more likely to get long-term change compared to other strategies.
Sponsored by The Fishmongers’ Company’s Charitable Trust, the May family, and Pillsbury Law, the two-day event combined expert panels with practical working groups.
A core part of this initiative is the Veterans’ Rivers Task Force. This SWV programme connects wounded veterans with meaningful environmental work. By using their skills in planning, teamwork, and operations, veterans work alongside scientists and landowners to collect data and monitor river health. It is a partnership that protects rivers while offering veterans training, employment, and renewed purpose.
Key Insights: Chemicals, Farming, and Policy
All the attendees gained valuable technical, strategic, and insights such as:
- The Threat of “Forever Chemicals”: Professor Bryan Brooks from Baylor University highlighted the dangers of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These man-made chemicals do not break down easily in the environment and end up in rivers and then oceans, where they devastate plankton life, with severe implications for natural CO2 absorption and climate change. Plastics are not PFAS, but they too end up as micro particles, slowly breaking down, and causing devastating consequences for river and marine life and climate change.
- Agricultural & Domestic waste impacts: The discussions highlighted how some dairy farming practices inadvertently spread these chemicals onto fields through animal and human sludge. It also mentioned how teams of farmers in clusters are successfully working together to help one another and reduce water pollution and pollution runoff. The forum also noted that farmers are experiencing unprecedented levels of income squeeze.
- The Need for Regulation: The severity of chemical pollution raised serious questions about why the UK has not yet followed countries like Denmark in implementing a comprehensive ban on PFAS and plastics, and underscored the urgent need for nature-based alternatives to industrial chemistry.
- Leadership in the UK water industry: The current dire severity of water quality in Britain’s rivers has led to a huge overhaul of leadership at the top of the UK water industry, plus a renewed investment drive, to overcome decades of neglect of equipment and capacity. This may give pause for thought, in terms of blanket criticism of today’s leadership, who are working to make up for lost time.
- Monitoring of water pollution: There are many sources of pollution, but these may be categorised into three broad areas – agricultural, industrial, and domestic. Rivers have their own specific pollutants and must be monitored accordingly. To establish the facts about pollution, it is imperative that rivers are monitored 247.
- The effect of river water quality on ocean water quality: The forum did touch on this briefly. As it is a vital subject to humanity, to avoid the trophic cascade and death of the oceans, it is hoped that next year it can be discussed more deeply.
GDP losses from UK poor river quality. Sources: various see, chart in image.
The Power of Citizen Science
One of the most encouraging takeaways from the forum was the growing role of ordinary citizens and community groups in protecting nature.
- Community Monitoring: Delegates explored how regular citizens can collaborate with scientific institutions to monitor local plant and animal species.
- Farmer Clusters: Land management is improving through local networks. For example, retired veteran Harry Long shared how his local farm cluster helps landowners work together to create space for wildlife.
Restoring nature. Putting back natural river pathways and restoring biodiversity will reduce landscape flood risks and fire risks and improve tourism and quality of life.
Connecting Local Action to Global Goals
For organizations such as Global MapAid, the forum provides a springboard for future projects. Inspired by the event, MapAid is continuing to develop a plan to empower citizen scientists to monitor UK river pollution and support climate change mitigation efforts in both the UK and Ethiopia – and thus support “complete system thinking.”
The goal in the UK is to create an easy-to-use, digital mapping tool that makes complex river data accessible to everyone.
Furthermore, discussions highlighted how local river health is directly linked to global climate issues. Pollution travelling through river systems eventually flows into the oceans, disrupting marine life, and O2 and CO2 processing over vast areas, and this affects global weather patterns. In turn, this directly impacts rainfall and water availability for smallholder farmers in developing nations like Ethiopia, who are often the hardest hit by the climate crisis.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 Rivers’ Forum has strongly demonstrated that improving water quality in the UK is a shared responsibility and will yield many shared benefits. By linking environmental restoration with veteran transition and scientific data with community action, the event began to help map a practical path forward for river conservation in the UK and beyond. The connection between decision-makers at the bottom and those at the top, in a more transparent and ultimately more efficient system, will certainly benefit the UK.
