THE TWEED Forum, the organization that protects and conserves the natural, built and cultural heritage of the River Tweed and its surroundings, has been shortlisted for a major international river prize.

Awarded for outstanding achievements in river restoration and protection management, the Thiess International River Prize is presented each year by the International River Foundation, with the winner awarded $200,000 Australian dollars in prize money.

The Tweed is up against three other strong contenders – the San Antonio River in Texas; The Nushagak and Kvichak Rivers in Alaska; and the Pasig River in the Philippines. Previous winners of the prestigious competition include the River Niagara, the Rhine and the Danube.

The 2017 winner will be announced at the International Rivers symposium in Brisbane, Australia in September, and representatives of each of the four finalists will travel to the event to share their knowledge and experience with others in the field from across the globe.

The Tweed Forum’s entry highlighted the charitable trust’s hands-on, co-operative approach to managing the 5000 sq km of the Tweed’s catchment, which straddles the Scotland / England border. One of the UK’s most productive salmon rivers, it is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation under European legislation. The Tweed Forum’s work led to UNESCO recognition in 2009, and the receipt of the first UK Rivers Prize in 2015.

The Forum works with farmers, foresters, landowners, ghillies and public and private sector bodies on both sides of the Border in a partnership that has delivered significant benefits in river restoration, habitat management, improved water quality, the protection and enhancement of fish stocks, flood management and tourism and recreational opportunities.

Its work has included tree planting and woodland management, pond and wetland creation, peatland restoration and management, tackling invasive plant species, creating and upgrading cycleways and trails and restoring listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments. The Tweed Forum also runs educational initiatives including school visits, field trips and talks, and works with statutory agencies and policy makers to improve legislation and shape policies to help manage land and water assets across the whole country.

Director Luke Comins said: “It is extremely rewarding to have the contribution of all those working to conserve and enhance the Tweed recognized on an international stage. The River Tweed is one of the UK’s most precious assets and we have developed a collaborative approach that is delivering significant benefits for the landscape and the people who live and work within the catchment of the river and its tributaries. We’re greatly looking forward to sharing our experiences and knowledge on delivering a sustainable future for the river and its environs with delegates at the International Rivers symposium and are, of course, hoping that we can bring this prestigious award back with us to the UK.”

If successful, the Tweed Forum would use the prize money to employ a dedicated education officer to enhance the organisation’s education outreach programme. It would also explore the possibility of developing an apprentice scheme that would enable participants to work with the Tweed Forum to encourage the development of best practice in integrated catchment management elsewhere in the country.