BEACON

Bollin Environmental Action and Conservation

BEACON (Bollin Environmental Action and Conservation) is a group of people working towards controlling and eradicating invasive non-native species (INNS) and improving water quality within the Bollin catchment, which includes all the tributaries, meres, brooks and streams connected to the River Bollin such as the River Dean and Mobberley Brook.

BEACON joined the Mersey Rivers Trust in 2016 to use a more co-ordinated approach in tackling invasive species and improving water quality in the Bollin catchment.

BEACON has an action plan that was created in 2020, in partnership with all the member organisations that make up this Local Action Group.

The purpose of the BEACON Action Plan for the Bollin Catchment is to:

  • Identify key issues for the Bollin Catchment
  • Identify specific projects that meet identified needs
  • Identify potential funding that is required
  • Encourage partners to work together on co-design and co-delivery of programmes and projects.

The key issues and concerns of BEACON within the Bollin Catchment are set out below under five headings:

  1. The quality of our rivers, brooks and meres
  2. Flood risk
  3. Biodiversity and ecology
  4. Recreation, leisure and landscape
  5. Community engagement.

The latest version of the BEACON Action Plan can be downloaded here:

BEACON Action Plan - 2022

Catchment Planning Summary can be downloaded here:

BEACON Catchment Planning Summary

The high priority projects list can be found here:

High priority BEACON projects

The latest progress update on the Action Plan can be downloaded here:

BEACON Action Plan Monitoring - Nov 2021

Restoring Valley Brook
Bollin Catchment

BEACON’s vision is:

To have a river catchment where our natural wildlife thrives. This will be achieved through surveys and monitoring, education, awareness raising and local action.

This will be achieved by:

  • Improving the quality of the water bodies and associated habitats within the Bollin catchment area.
  • Protecting the designated sites within the Bollin catchment area.
  • Engaging with local communities and schools to raise awareness of invasive non-native species and water quality issues, and get people involved in the project.
  • Increasing the number of people taking action to control non-native invasive species and improve water quality.
  • Engaging with local landowners and farmers to raise their awareness of non-native invasive species and water pollution in the Bollin catchment, and how land management and farming can make a positive contribution to improving native habitats and water quality.
Restoring Valley Brook

BEACON Steering Group

The BEACON Steering Group is made up of various organisations that have a vested interest in the health of the River Bollin as landowners, environmental organisations or local residents. To find out more about each member of the steering group, please click the members title below:

BEACON Newsletter

The latest BEACON newsletters can be downloaded here:

Latest news

Mersey Valley Way: first National River Walk
The Mersey Valley Way along the River Mersey in Greater Manchester is the first designated national river walk in England.
Coppicing and dead hedging at Newgate Nature Reserve, Wilmslow
Tuesday 3 March. We're joining the Bollin Valley Partnership to undertake coppicing and dead hedging work at Newgate Nature Reserve, Wilmslow.
Battling the Birch at Lindow Common, Wilmslow
Wednesday 25 February. We're joining the Bollin Valley Partnership to help conserve the special habitat within Lindow Common in Wilmslow by removing self-seeded Birch.
Urban Riverfly Monitoring Upskill
Wednesday 18 February. Join us for a 1 hour online training webinar that builds skills in riverfly (invertebrate) monitoring, identification, data collection, and urban water quality.
River Mersey Guided Walk & Litter Pick on the Mersey Valley Way, Stockport
Friday 6 February 2026
Farm Demonstration Day - Rostherne, Cheshire
Tuesday 3 February. An event for farmers and landowners. Join us for a Farm Demonstration Day at Rostherne Mere, Cheshire to discover cost-effective ways to boost land productivity and filter water with ponds & reed beds!
Alt Crossens Newsletter
A look back at the projects and achievements in 2025 in the Alt Crossens catchment and what is happening in 2026
Outfall Safari Training for Citizen Scientists
Thursday 28 January. Join us for an online training session for the public to learn about outfall safari citizen science river surveys
River Mersey Guided Walk & Litter Pick: Mersey Valley Way, Stockport
Friday 23 January 2026
Mersey Valley Way
Mersey Rivers Trust is delighted that the River Mersey in Greater Manchester has been selected for the first national river walk
Litter Raft in Manchester
Adventure filmmaker Raphael Holt raising awareness of the litter & flytipping issues facing Manchester’s waterways
Manchester College Water Quality STEM Session
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