Nominee Summary
As one of the UK's leading fisheries conservation charities, we are dedicated to protecting wild Atlantic salmon in the River Tweed and its tributaries. Through long-term scientific monitoring, habitat restoration, invasive species control, and climate resilience work, we are safeguarding one of Scotland’s most iconic species. Our education and outreach programs, including TweedStart and Guardians of the Tweed, engage schools, volunteers, and communities across the catchment. By combining science with impactful grassroots action, we are building a sustainable future for the river, its diverse wildlife, and the rural communities that depend on its health.
What was the motivation?
Atlantic salmon are a defining species of Scotland’s rivers and rural identity — and they are in crisis. The Tweed Foundation was established to respond to this crisis with a mission to conserve and enhance fish populations in the River Tweed system, using long-term data and evidence-based management. The River Tweed, one of Scotland’s most productive salmon rivers, is also a designated Special Area of Conservation. Yet like many rivers, it faces pressures from climate change, habitat degradation, land use, invasive species, and declining water quality. These threats are cumulative — and urgent. The Foundation’s motivation lies in protecting wild salmon as a species and as a symbol of Scotland’s natural heritage. But it also recognises the salmon’s role in sustaining rural livelihoods, tourism, biodiversity, and cultural identity. This work is not about short-term fixes. It is about establishing a long-term, catchment-wide conservation model that can be replicated and shared. The Tweed Foundation aims to bridge the gap between science and community, between traditional river knowledge and modern conservation. By connecting rigorous data collection with grassroots stewardship and public education, the Foundation is creating a future in which the Tweed — and its wild salmon — can not only survive but thrive. The motivation is as ecological as it is emotional: to protect something irreplaceable, for everyone.
The impact of their work
In June the Tweed Foundation launched real-time water temperature loggers on the river with updates every 15 minutes to inform river users and guide anglers during periods of elevated temperatures. Combined with comprehensive catchment monitoring, data collection, and volunteer engagement, the Tweed Foundation’s community-informed, science-led approach is delivering tangible, long-term conservation outcomes.
Including the community
The Tweed Foundation believes that conservation must be community-driven to be effective and lasting. That ethos is evident in our outreach, education, and volunteering programmes. Community involvement lies at the heart of Guardians of the Tweed, a volunteer initiative that invites local people to help with riverfly monitoring, planting, clean-ups, invasive species control, and citizen science. Volunteers of all ages are equipped with the knowledge and tools to take ownership of their local environment with support and assistance from our bioloigsts. The annual Opening of the Salmon Season in Kelso has grown into a celebration of river heritage and community pride — it helps raise awareness of conservation efforts while fostering a sense of shared purpose. The Foundation’s success lies in its ability to bridge conservation science with traditional rural knowledge, working closely with landowners, ghillies, and estates. This inclusive, collaborative approach ensures that the wider community plays an active role in protecting one of Scotland’s most iconic species — not just for today, but for generations to come.
