Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust

What Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust does

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust (OART) is a UK registered charity (number 1082447) operating exclusively in Sussex, England, dedicated to river and wetland restoration across the River Ouse and River Adur catchments. The organization delivers nature-based solutions spanning chalk stream restoration, fish barrier removal, natural flood management, invasive species control, water quality monitoring, and habitat creation, organized through six core workstream programmes (Chalk Waters, Breaking Barriers, Community Connections, Floods/Drought/Climate, Habitat/Land/Wildlife, and Water Quality) and a portfolio of 18+ specific projects including the Adur Adaptation Project, Uck Adaptation Project, Cockshut Restoration, Cockhaise Connections, Ouse Valley NFM, and the Restoring Broadwater Brook initiative.

The trust operates with a lean team of 5 employees supplemented by an extensive volunteer network (River Rangers), citizen science contributors, and trustee governance. Its technology stack is operational rather than digital — centered on field-based ecological monitoring (Riverfly Monitoring Initiative methodology), nature-based engineering interventions (leaky dams, channel realignment, culvert removal, wetland creation), and partnership coordination rather than proprietary software. It does not publish an API, SDK, or technology product.

OART's revenue model is diversified across four streams: annual memberships (£20/year), one-off and recurring donations with Gift Aid, grants and public funding from bodies such as the Environment Agency, Southern Water, West Sussex County Council, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and corporate sponsorship delivered partly through its 1% for the Planet membership. Pricing is publicly disclosed for individual contributions, but the trust does not charge for project delivery — its work is grant-funded and directed at non-profit river improvement. The organization serves individual community members (primary), farmers and landowners (primary), schools and educational groups, and corporate partners.

Name

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust

Legal name

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust

Website

https://oart.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust is a Sussex-based UK registered charity delivering river and wetland restoration across the Ouse and Adur catchments through nature-based solutions, grant-funded projects, citizen science, and volunteer programmes serving communities, farmers, and local authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• River restoration services
• Wetland conservation
• Catchment management
• Natural flood management
• Citizen science monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Albourne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership at £20, generating recurring revenue and building a supporter base. Gift Aid scheme enables claiming 25% tax relief on qualifying donations, increasing effective contribution to £1.28 per £1 donated.
2. Donations: One-off and regular donations from individuals, with preset amounts (£10, £20, £50, £100) and custom options. Gift Aid available for UK taxpayers.
3. Grants and Public Funding: Funding from Environment Agency, Southern Water, Local Authorities, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and other grant-giving bodies. No core funding received; all money directed to river improvement projects.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate partnerships through 1% for the Planet membership as an environmental partner. Sponsorship opportunities for businesses supporting environmental improvement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust is a registered charity that delivers river and wetland restoration programmes across the Ouse and Adur catchment in Sussex, UK. Core services include chalk stream restoration, fish barrier removal, natural flood management, wetland creation, water quality monitoring, invasive species control, citizen science programmes, and free farm advisory services for landowners. The trust also runs volunteer programmes (River Rangers) and engages communities, schools, and corporate partners through membership, donations, and sponsorship.

Product overview

Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust is an environmental conservation charity (registered no. 1082447) offering a portfolio of river and wetland restoration programmes and community engagement services rather than a unified technology product. The portfolio comprises six core workstream programmes (Chalk Waters, Breaking Barriers, Community Connections, Floods/Drought/Climate, Habitat/Land/Wildlife, and Water Quality) that deliver nature-based solutions across Sussex rivers. These are supported by specific restoration projects including the Adur Adaptation Project, Uck Adaptation Project, Cockshut Restoration, Cockhaise Connections, Urban Wetland Network, Ouse Valley NFM, Restoring Broadwater Brook, Lewes Winterbourne, and the WaFER Project. Community involvement is facilitated through the Citizen Science Programme, River Rangers volunteer network, and Farming Support Service. The organisation focuses on practical conservation rather than software products, using evidence-based planning and partnership working to enhance river health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Membership Annual subscription at £20/year providing individuals with newsletter updates, project news, and the ability to support the trust's river restoration work; eligible for Gift Aid (25% tax relief) for UK taxpayers.
• River Rangers Volunteer Programme Volunteer programme for hands-on conservation, ecological surveys, and plastic pollution prevention, providing eyes and ears on the ground for river protection and monitoring across Sussex.
• Citizen Science Programme Community-based water quality monitoring programme empowering communities to monitor, protect, and restore local rivers through Riverfly Monitoring, chemical testing training, Sea Trout Watch, and volunteer River Rangers programmes.
• Farming Support Service Free farm visits and advice for farmers and landowners on river restoration, riparian management, water quality improvements, agricultural water resilience, and biodiversity net gain.
• Corporate Volunteering and Sponsorship Programme Corporate engagement programme offering staff volunteering days and sponsorship opportunities for businesses seeking environmental impact; accessed via 1% for the Planet membership.
• Breaking Barriers Programme Restoring natural river flow and ecological health by removing or modifying redundant barriers, with a goal to open 100km of river network to all species by 2028.
• Chalk Waters Programme Restoring Sussex's unique chalk water habitats by enhancing water quality, protecting groundwater, and collaborating on long-term projects to conserve these vital ecosystems for future resilience.
• Floods, Drought & Climate Programme Building climate resilience in waterways by increasing catchment hydrology knowledge, implementing nature-based flood and drought management solutions, and promoting sustainable water practices.
• Habitat, Land & Wildlife Programme Collaborating with farmers, landowners, and partners to enhance landscape health by creating wetlands, controlling invasive species, and balancing ecological and agricultural needs.
• Water Quality Monitoring Service Improving water quality by reducing pollution through monitoring, collaboration with communities and businesses, and implementing nature-based solutions to ensure healthier rivers and resilient ecosystems.
• Community Connections Programme Engaging communities, schools, and local groups to foster meaningful connections and promote citizen science, education, and conservation activities for healthier rivers and ecosystems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18km of river opened to fish species through barrier removal on Cockhaise Brook
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Environment AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner providing funding and technical support for river restoration projects. Works with trust on Natural Flood Management, habitat restoration, and water quality improvement across Ouse and Adur catchments.
• West Sussex County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner providing funding and support for Adur Adaptation Project and other catchment improvement initiatives.
• Southern WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater company partner providing funding and collaboration for water quality improvement, fish passage projects, and abstraction impact investigation. Funding partner for Cockhaise Connections and Cockhaise Brook barrier removal.
• Lewes District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner in Cockshut Restoration project and Lewes Winterbourne restoration planning.
• South Downs National ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational park authority partner in Cockshut Restoration project, contributing to landscape-scale conservation in the South Downs.
• Lewes Railway Land Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner in Cockshut Restoration project, contributing local expertise and volunteer resources.
• Sompting Estate TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandowner partner for Broadwater Brook restoration, providing land and collaborating on channel realignment project.
• Brighton and Worthing Chalk Blocks (aquifer partnership)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestigating impact of abstraction from chalk aquifers on local rivers and streams, supported by Southern Water.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental partner certification allowing trust to access network of businesses committed to giving 1% of sales to environmental causes. Enables corporate sponsorship and membership program.
• Sussex Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Lewes District Council since 2016 delivering Ouse Valley NFM Project with natural flood management interventions.
• Adur & Ouse Catchment PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrust hosts the Adur & Ouse Catchment Partnership, coordinating stakeholders across the catchment to develop shared visions and deliver strategic conservation work.
• Riverfly Partnership (hosted by Freshwater Biological Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner providing standardized Riverfly Monitoring Initiative methodology for citizen science water quality monitoring. Connects trust to Environment Agency for pollution reporting.
• University of BrightonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr James Ebdon serving as trustee, providing expertise in environmental microbiology and water quality testing methods.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sussex Wildlife Trust: Largest wildlife conservation charity operating across Sussex, with overlapping geography and confirmed partnership with OART on the Ouse Valley NFM Project. Both organizations engage volunteers, manage habitat restoration, and work with landowners on conservation outcomes, directly competing for similar regional grants and donor pools.
• Westcountry Rivers Trust: Established regional rivers trust in South West England delivering catchment-scale restoration, natural flood management, and citizen science. Same charity structure, same revenue mix (grants, corporate, membership), and similar operational scope as OART, making it a strong comparable on scale and impact.
• South East Rivers Trust: Regional rivers trust covering South East England catchments with the same operating model: river restoration, fish passage work, landowner engagement, and community citizen science. They compete for the same Environment Agency and water company funding across adjacent geographies.
• Thames21: London-based rivers charity running volunteer-led river restoration, citizen science, and corporate engagement programs. Operates on a similar model to OART in terms of volunteer mobilization, water quality monitoring, and partnership-driven restoration delivery.
• WildFish (formerly Salmon & Trout Association): UK-wide fish conservation charity with a Sussex Branch (chaired for 13 years by OART trustee Roderick Yuill). Focuses on migratory fish habitat, barriers to fish passage, and water quality, directly overlapping with OART's Breaking Barriers and Cockhaise Connections projects.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust: UK's largest conservation charity managing land, coast, and historic properties, including significant chalk stream and river holdings in Sussex. Competes for similar public donations, corporate partnerships, and government conservation grants while operating overlapping habitat restoration programs.
• The Rivers Trust: National umbrella body representing rivers trusts across the UK, providing coordination, advocacy, and policy representation. OART is a member of this network and benefits from its collective influence, while The Rivers Trust sets strategic direction that shapes funding availability for regional trusts.
• Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT): Major national wetland conservation charity with significant visitor-based revenue, multiple reserve sites, and corporate partnerships. Operates a wetland-focused mission that closely parallels OART's wetland creation work, but at substantially larger scale and with broader geographic reach.

Others

• Environment Agency: Government regulator and primary funder for OART's projects. While not a peer in the competitive sense, the Environment Agency sets funding priorities, project standards, and delivery frameworks that shape OART's operating environment and growth ceiling.
• South Downs National Park Authority: Government body that is a confirmed strategic partner with OART on the Cockshut Restoration project. While not a competitor, it is a comparable landscape-scale conservation organization operating in the same geography and influencing funding flows for conservation work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ouse-&-adur-rivers-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust