Provide funding for a nationwide, nature-rich river corridor network.
Support farmers and landowners to make space for water with more, easily accessible funding schemes. We call on government to commit to providing financial incentives to help farmers create & maintain connected land along all river corridors (with buffers, wetlands, riparian tree planting) at scale.
Signatures
10,420
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 10,000/10,000 · reached
Debate threshold (100,000) · 10,420/100,000
- 14 JAN 2026Government respondedDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsGovernment reply
We are investing in ELM schemes, supporting buffers, wetlands, tree planting and river restoration. We are protecting or restoring 20,000 kilometres of watercourses and investing in flood protection.
Read full response - 04 DEC 2025Petition closedFinal total: 10,420 signatures
- 12 NOV 202510,000 signatures reachedEligible for a government response
- 04 JUN 2025Petition opened for signatures
Background
Many UK rivers are heavily altered from their natural state & can have difficulty handling our changing environment. This can have potentially disastrous consequences for people & nature. For rivers to provide us with essential benefits, we think they urgently need space to recover. Connected, natural areas of land along river corridors can offer this space, and could help to: restore rivers; improve water quality; offer flood/drought resilience; boost biodiversity and help safeguard food production.