Life Below Water: clean water, from the Monnow, Wye and Severn to the sea
The Monnow joins the Wye at Monmouth, the Wye runs past Symonds Yat and Tintern to Chepstow. The Severn sweeps past Lydney to meet it there, and together they head out to sea. What goes into our rivers goes everywhere.
Why our rivers matter to every business here, not just the ones with canoes.
Why the rivers are every business's business
Canoe and kayak hire, fishing, river cruises, wild swimming, gorge walking - a whole slice of the local economy depends on water you'd happily get into. So does the view from half the holiday cottages in the Wye Valley.
But you don't need a lake, pond or riverbank to make a difference. Every business has a drain, a cleaning cupboard and a bin. What goes down the sink at a campsite or a café ends up downstream. Clean water is everyone's business, which is exactly what makes it worth doing together.
What is UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water?
The United Nations wrote Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water with the oceans in mind. Here, the ocean starts upstream, in our rivers. Protect them, and you're protecting the sea they feed, and one of the main reasons people come here at all.
First steps for a tourism business
- Switch to eco-friendly cleaning products and cut single-use plastics
- Tell guests how to enjoy the river responsibly, and respect the wildlife in it
- Join a local conservation group or a citizen science water-monitoring project
- If you run boats, look at electric or hybrid engines and better fuel efficiency
- Team up with other water-based businesses on waste and water quality
Choose a goal
Find your first step. Keep it clean, all the way down.
- Choose your goal
- Tell us your first step: Marketing@visitdeanwye.co.uk
See it working — businesses featured in this film
Choose another goal
The six goals Visit Dean Wye partners champion. Each one has its own three-minute film and a list of first steps.
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Frequently asked questions
- We're nowhere near a river. Does this apply to us?
Yes. Every business has a drain and a cleaning cupboard, and what goes down the sink ends up downstream. Cleaning products and single-use plastics are the place to start.
- Which rivers are we talking about?
The Monnow, the Wye and the Severn. The Monnow joins the Wye at Monmouth, the Wye runs to Chepstow, and the Severn meets it there on the way to the sea.
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