Connecting the Culm: Building a Resilient Future for the River Culm

Connecting the Culm is an ambitious, collaborative project working to restore and protect the River Culm and its surrounding landscapes in Mid Devon. Through innovative, nature-based solutions and strong community partnerships, the project is creating a healthier and more resilient river system that benefits both people and wildlife.

Core Goals of Connecting the Culm

Enhance Flood and Drought Resilience

Using natural systems to manage water flow, reduce flood risks, and maintain steady river levels during dry spells.

Improve Water Quality

Addressing pollution and sediment runoff and improving overall river health for ecosystems and communities alike.

Support Biodiversity and Restore Habitats

Creating the right conditions for wildlife to thrive by reviving natural spaces like wetlands and riverbanks.

Engage Local Communities

Empowering residents, landowners, and organisations to play an active role in the care and future of the River Culm.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS): Working With Nature, Not Against It

A major pillar of the project is the use of nature-based solutions — smart, sustainable practices that mimic natural processes to tackle environmental issues.

Key actions include:

  • Wetland and Mire Restoration: Natural sponges that hold and release water, helping to balance floods and droughts.
  • Tree Planting & Hedgerow Restoration: Boosting biodiversity, reducing erosion, and soaking up rainfall.
  • Leaky Dams & Woody Debris Structures: Slowing stream flow and trapping sediment naturally.
  • Soil Health Improvements: Promoting farming practices that increase water retention and reduce runoff.
  • Floodplain Reconnection: Giving rivers room to breathe by reconnecting them with their floodplains.
  • Exploring Beaver Reintroduction: Nature’s little engineers — capable of building wetlands and slowing water flow.

A Catchment-Wide Strategy

The project doesn’t just focus on a single area — it looks at the entire Culm catchment, from its source in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape all the way to its meeting point with the River Exe. By thinking big, the project ensures changes upstream benefit everything downstream.

Co-Creation: Powered by the Community

Local voices matter. That’s why Connecting the Culm is designed around co-creation, working hand in hand with:

  • Communities
  • Farmers and landowners
  • Local authorities
  • Businesses
  • Environmental organisations

This ensures the solutions are practical, locally informed, and embraced by the people who live and work along the river.

The Blueprint for the River Culm

A standout feature of the project is the creation of a 25-year management plan called the Blueprint for the Culm. This long-term vision outlines:

  • Priority actions to restore the river
  • Investment plans
  • Community goals
  • Environmental targets

The blueprint is a roadmap for ensuring the River Culm stays healthy and resilient for generations to come.

Science-Led and Data-Driven

Connecting the Culm is built on solid research. Through an environmental evidence review, the team gathers and analyses data across the catchment to:

  • Understand the river's biggest challenges
  • Monitor project impacts
  • Develop solutions that actually work

This evidence-based approach means better outcomes, smarter investments, and long-lasting change.

Demonstration Zones: Nature-Based Solutions in Action

Real-life results matter. The project has established demonstration sites where new techniques and strategies are being tested, monitored, and showcased — acting as blueprints for future rollouts across the region.

Education and Community Engagement

It’s not just about fixing the river — it’s about inspiring people to care. The project offers:

  • Workshops and training sessions
  • Volunteering opportunities
  • Citizen science programmes, including water quality monitoring
  • School outreach and environmental education

When people connect with their local environment, they become their strongest protectors.

Addressing the River Culm’s Key Challenges

Connecting the Culm is tackling real, urgent threats:

  • More frequent and intense flooding and droughts
  • Ongoing pollution and sediment problems
  • Loss of biodiversity and habitat degradation
  • The impact of new development (like Culm Garden Village)
  • Risks to major infrastructure like the M5 motorway and the main railway line