The Rivers Trust Annual Conference 2026: Grounded in Data
The 2026 Rivers Trust Annual Conference held our biggest audience ever and highlighted the importance of effective data-led delivery. Catch up on the full event below.
21/05/26
Thank you to everyone who contributed and attended our annual conference on 7th May. We welcomed more than 500 attendees on the day - which is our biggest audience ever - and registration led to more than 120 new signups for our newsletter.
In the feedback, attendees highlighted the consistently high standard of speakers, noting their passion and expertise. People enjoyed hearing about successful projects and case studies, and key takeaways centred on the importance of collaboration in ensuring that environmental data is consistent, credible, and accessible.
You can catch up on the full conference using the YouTube playlist below and download the slides at the bottom of the page.
Video one:
- Opening remarks
- Emma Hardy MP Keynote Address with Q&A from Emma Donnelly, Defra Deputy Director Clean Water
- A future vision for data-led decision making - Chaired by Kari Dempsey, Chief Data Advisor at The Rivers Trust
Video two:
- Data-led delivery - where are we now? - Chaired by Michelle Walker, Technical Director at The Rivers Trust (Slides available below)
Video three:
- Mary-Ann Ochota, Independent Chair of Protected Landscapes Partnership Keynote Address (Slides available below)
- Spotlight on Protected Landscapes panel - Chaired by Alison Matthews, Chalk Streams Programme Manager at The Rivers Trust
Video four:
- Lightning talks: case studies. (Slides available below)
- Getting it done: what is the gold standard for evidence-led, holistic land and water management? - Chaired by Charlotte Stannard, Eastern Partnerships & Water Governance Officer at The Rivers Trust
- Closing reflections from Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive Officer of The Rivers Trust