What TEES RIVERS CHARITABLE TRUST does

Tees Rivers Charitable Trust (Tees Rivers Trust) is a UK-registered charity (Registration Number 1128953) founded in 2008 in Darlington, England, and the only conservation body committed solely to the management and improvement of the whole Tees Catchment, from Cross Fell in the west to the North Sea coast in the east. The organisation delivers river and catchment conservation, habitat restoration, invasive non-native species (INNS) management, native species reintroduction (oysters, seagrass, mussels), environmental education, and advisory services to landowners and businesses. Its operational technology includes a 40ft shipping-container seagrass nursery with controlled light/temperature/salinity tanks, a flow-through estuary-water polytunnel, two native oyster cage nurseries (20 cages each holding 600+ adult oysters) at Hartlepool Marina and Hartlepool Docks, a spatting pond for larvae settlement, biological control deployments (rust fungus for Himalayan balsam, psyllids for Japanese knotweed) in partnership with CABI, and intertidal habitat creation using natural-material retaining structures under the IMMERSE (Interreg VB North Sea Region Programme) project.

The trust operates across five core programme areas: the Tees Catchment Partnership (a collaborative stakeholder forum), Agriculture & Habitat Creation (landowner advisory services including full farm reviews and natural flood management), Fisheries & Water Management (water quality, fish migration, electrofishing), INNS Management (chemical, biological, and community-led control of Giant Hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, and floating pennywort), and Coastal & Estuary restoration (oyster, seagrass, mussel reintroduction and intertidal habitat creation). It monetises conservation through a diversified mix of grant funding (National Lottery Heritage Fund, Postcode Lottery, Northumbrian Water, Garfield Weston Foundation, Environment Agency, DEFRA, Green Recovery Challenge Fund), individual donations (one-time, monthly, yearly tiers from £50-£1,000), corporate CSR partnerships and volunteer days, an enforcement undertaking facilitation service for companies that have caused environmental offences, a Biodiversity Net Gain scheme involving a farm acquisition (Galley Law), and a wholly-owned trading subsidiary Nature Based Solutions Ltd that delivers catchment management and riverine improvement services with profits reinvested into the trust. Distribution is regional (North East England) and achieved through direct project delivery, volunteer engagement, landowner advisory work, and partnership-led outreach.

Name

TEES RIVERS CHARITABLE TRUST

Legal name

Tees Rivers Trust

Website

https://teesriverstrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tees Rivers Charitable Trust is a UK-registered charity (est. 2008, Darlington) that delivers river conservation, habitat restoration, invasive species management, and native species reintroduction (oysters, seagrass, mussels) across the Tees Catchment in North East England, funded by grants, donations, and a trading subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

River and Catchment Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

Keywords

• River conservation services
• Habitat restoration
• Invasive species management
• Watershed management
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Darlington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations through the website with options for one-time, monthly, or yearly contributions. Also includes legacy donations through wills.
2. Nature Based Solutions Ltd Trading Income: Trading arm providing catchment management and riverine improvement services. Profits are reinvested directly into the Tees Rivers Trust.
3. Enforcement Undertakings: Facilitating environmental repair for companies that have committed environmental offences. The trust provides specialist advice and assistance to ensure best outcomes from enforcement situations.
4. Biodiversity Net Gain Services: As part of a nutrient neutrality scheme, the trust has acquired a farm to enhance biodiversity and support sustainable land management practices, generating income through BNG credits.
5. Grant Funding: Funding from various organizations including National Lottery Heritage Fund, Postcode Lottery, Northumbrian Water, Garfield Weston Foundation, Environment Agency, DEFRA, Green Recovery Challenge Fund, and others.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate donations and CSR volunteer days from businesses looking to support environmental work in their local area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Tees Rivers Charitable Trust is a registered UK charity (Registration Number 1128953) that delivers river conservation, habitat restoration, invasive non-native species (INNS) management, and environmental education across the entire Tees catchment from Cross Fell to the North Sea. The trust operates a portfolio of programs covering agriculture and habitat creation, fisheries and water management, INNS control, and coastal/estuary restoration, and monetizes its work through grants, donations, its trading arm Nature Based Solutions Ltd, enforcement undertakings, and biodiversity net gain schemes.

Product overview

TEES RIVERS CHARITABLE TRUST operates as a charitable conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected environmental services and programs focused on improving and conserving the River Tees from Cross Fell to the North Sea. The core offering centers on the Tees Catchment Partnership, which provides collaborative catchment-wide management. Core operational programs include Agriculture & Habitat Creation (landowner advisory services), Fisheries & Water Management (fish monitoring and water quality), Invasive Non-Native Species Management (INNS control across multiple species), and Coastal & Estuary restoration (seagrass, oyster, and mussel projects). The Trust monetizes conservation through its trading arm Nature Based Solutions Ltd, while supplementary programs include Enforcement Undertakings (environmental repair services), Biodiversity Net Gain schemes, the RiverLAB Education Program, Volunteer Program, Corporate Partnerships, and Donations. The organization was established in 2008 and holds Charitable Organisation Registration Number 1128953.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agriculture & Habitat Creation Advisory and practical services for farmers and landowners covering full farm reviews, natural flood management, wet woodland creation, land re-wetting, and riparian buffer improvements to reduce runoff and improve river habitat.
• Fisheries & Water Management Water quality improvement, habitat enhancement, fish population monitoring, and removal/modification of physical barriers impacting fish migrations across the Tees catchment.
• Invasive Non-Native Species Management Catchment-wide management of invasive non-native species using chemical control, biological control, community engagement, and education, targeting Giant Hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, floating pennywort, and marine INNS.
• Coastal & Estuary Restoration Recreating and restoring intertidal habitat within the Tees Estuary and restoring native marine species including seagrass, native oysters, mussels, and supporting intertidal habitat creation projects.
• Enforcement Undertakings Specialist advisory service that helps individuals and companies navigate Environment Agency-accepted enforcement undertakings as an alternative to prosecution for environmental offences, facilitating environmental repair.
• Biodiversity Net Gain Nutrient neutrality scheme involving land purchase (including Galley Law farm) for biodiversity enhancement and sustainable land management, generating BNG credits for developers needing biodiversity offsets.
• RiverLAB Education Program School education sessions that engage children with their local river habitat through scientific investigation and creative expression, linked to the national curriculum.
• Corporate Partnerships Corporate social responsibility program offering corporate donations and corporate volunteering days for businesses to support local river conservation and meet CSR commitments.
• Nature Based Solutions Ltd Trading arm of the Trust providing catchment management and riverine improvement services to external clients, with profits reinvested directly into Tees Rivers Trust conservation work.
• Seagrass Reintroduction Reintroduction of native seagrass (Zostera marina) into the Tees estuary, with on-site propagation at a purpose-built nursery in Hartlepool.
• Native Oyster Reintroduction Reintroduction of native oysters (Ostrea edulis) to the Tees estuary and coastline, with nursery cages at Hartlepool Marina and Hartlepool Docks and a spatting pond for growing juveniles.
• Mussel Restoration Restoration of Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Horse Mussels (Modiolus modiolus) in the Tees estuary through bed surveys, spat collection and grow-out for regeneration of damaged areas.
• Intertidal Habitat Creation Construction of retaining structures using natural materials to allow sediment accretion and form steps of intertidal habitat along the River Tees, undertaken as part of the IMMERSE project.
• European Eel Monitoring Monitoring of elver and glass eel populations using the tidal barrage elver pass as an indicator of ecosystem health, identifying barriers to migration, and serving as an outreach tool for conservation issues.
• Tees Invasive Species Project (TISP) Active catchment-wide project (February 2025 to February 2026) tackling invasive non-native species through mapping, monitoring, and targeted management, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
• Donations Online donation system offering one-time, monthly, or yearly donations at amounts of £50, £100, £200, £1,000 or custom to support the Trust's conservation work, including legacy giving through wills.
• Tees Catchment Partnership Collaborative partnership of organizations within the river Tees catchment, bringing together stakeholders to protect, enhance and improve the water environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal to have 57 (65%) of waterbodies at good or higher condition by 2027, currently only 13 (15%)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nature Based Solutions LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrading arm of Tees Rivers Trust providing catchment management and riverine improvement services. Profits are reinvested directly into the trust. Ben Lamb serves as a Director.
• Interreg VB North Sea Region Programme (IMMERSE Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean funding programme supporting intertidal habitat creation and mariculture co-location study within Teesside Inshore Wind Farm.
• CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource of biological control agents for invasive species management, including rust fungus for Himalayan balsam and psyllids for Japanese knotweed.
• Wild Oyster Project, Tyne and WearminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide spat on shells from the trust's spatting pond for deployment on Wild Oyster Project's reef site off Sunderland coast.
• Stronger ShorescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner and funder for seagrass reintroduction and native oyster restoration projects.
• Environment AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates fish pass counter at Tees Barrage and sponsors angling matches that fund rivercams. Key regulatory partner for water framework directive implementation.
• The Rivers TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational umbrella organization for river trusts across the UK.
• Tyne Rivers TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the North East INNS Regional Group partnership for coordinated invasive species management across catchments.
• Wear Rivers TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the North East INNS Regional Group partnership for coordinated invasive species management.
• Tweed ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the North East INNS Regional Group partnership for coordinated invasive species management.
• ERIC North EastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the North East INNS Regional Group partnership for data sharing and resource pooling.
• Newcastle UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the North East INNS Regional Group contributing expertise and research capability.
• Tees Catchment Partnership MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership of organisations within the river Tees catchment working together to protect, enhance and improve the water environment.
• Durham Wildlife TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as supporter and partner in conservation efforts.
• Canal and Rivers TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as supporter and partner in conservation efforts.
• PD PortsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as supporter and partner, CEO Frans Calje serves as a patron.
• Raby EstatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as supporter with Lord Barnard serving as a patron.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tweed Forum: Cross-border catchment partnership covering the River Tweed in the NE of England and Scottish Borders, also part of the NE INNS Regional Group. Comparable catchment-scale conservation model with habitat restoration, fisheries work, and invasive species management.
• Wear Rivers Trust: Neighbouring Rivers Trust for the Wear catchment in North East England and partner in the NE INNS Regional Group. Same model — charitable trust delivering habitat restoration, INNS management, and community engagement — making it the closest direct peer.
• Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust: Rivers Trust operating in the Yorkshire Dales on a comparable catchment-management model including INNS control, habitat restoration, and farmer advisory services. Direct functional peer even though geographically distinct from the Tees.
• Tyne Rivers Trust: Sister Rivers Trust covering the Tyne catchment in North East England and a core member of the NE Regional INNS Partnership that Tees Rivers Trust chairs. Operates the same charitable trust model with catchment management, invasive species work, and volunteer programs.

Broad incumbents

• The Rivers Trust: National umbrella body for UK Rivers Trusts, of which Tees Rivers Trust is a member. Sets national policy, coordinates funding bids, and represents the network to government — a broader incumbent operating across all UK catchments.
• Canal & River Trust: National charity managing 2,000 miles of waterways with habitat, fisheries, and volunteering programs. Listed as a Tees Rivers Trust supporter; broader in scope and geographically dispersed.
• RSPB: UK-wide nature conservation charity with similar species recovery and habitat management programs. Tees Rivers Trust's coastal/estuary project manager Judy Power spent 13+ years at RSPB, evidencing close functional overlap.

Regional players

• Durham Wildlife Trust: North East wildlife charity covering Durham with habitat management, volunteering, and species conservation. Listed as a Tees Rivers Trust supporter and partner; overlap is geographic rather than catchment-specific.

Others

• Northumbrian Water: Regional water utility that funds Tees Rivers Trust projects (Giant Hogweed, Himalayan balsam biocontrol) and shares water-quality improvement objectives. Functionally a key funder/partner rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Wild Oyster Project: Partnership project (ZSL, Blue Marine Foundation, British Marine) restoring native oyster reefs across the UK including off the Sunderland coast, where it receives spat on shells from Tees Rivers Trust's Hartlepool spatting pond. Directly comparable marine restoration activity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/teesriverstrust?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/teesriverstrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheTeesRiversTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tees-rivers-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/teesriverstrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 TEES RIVERS CHARITABLE TRUST