Campaigning for and supporting the restoration of our inland waterways are strategic objectives for IWA, indeed they are the very foundation of why IWA was formed. Without IWA’s input, much of today’s network would not be navigable. However, the journey is not complete, and IWA’s trustees recognise that our work to deliver these objectives has lacked coordination and impact for several years.
In September 2025, we called together representatives from across the restoration sector to discuss how we should address this. We formed a small working group , consulted widely, and detailed proposals were prepared. These were approved by the trustees at their February meeting. Overall management and coordination of IWA’s restoration activities will be taken on by a new Restoration Delivery Group (RDG). This group will develop and manage the restoration work programme, including management of restoration employees or contractors once recruited. The work programme will take input from a wide variety of sources as to suggested work items.
The group will consist of four volunteers, a chair, trustee’s liaison, WRG liaison and the chair of the Restoration Panel (see below). George Rogers has been approved by IWA trustees as the inaugural chair of the RDG, and other roles will be named in due course. The existing High-Level Panel for Restoration will be reformed as the Restoration Panel. This will be open to nominated representatives from all waterway restoration groups, alongside relevant subject matter experts. The panel will primarily be a forum for knowledge exchange, including views on the challenges and opportunities that the restoration work programme might address.
We are seeking a volunteer chair for the Restoration Panel. Ideally, we would like the chair to not also be the nominated representative of, or aligned to, any restoration groups, so that they can concentrate on managing the discussions, giving all members voice, and keeping focus on relevant issues. If you know of a possible candidate, or want to volunteer yourself, please get in touch with George Rogers (via [email protected]) in the first instance.
Whilst the new restoration structure is being established, we have taken the decision to postpone the annual IWA/CRT restoration conference from its normal slot in the spring. Instead, we will look to host the first Restoration Panel meeting to gather initial input into the restoration work programme from the restoration groups. This will help to inform the programme of the restoration conference, which will return in the autumn.
