The Bristol Avon now has a publicly backed charter recognising its right to exist, thrive and flow sustainably. The agreement also sets out ambitions to protect the river’s biodiversity, prevent pollution and support its restoration.
Signed at Parade Gardens in Bath on World Rivers Day, the Avon bioregional charter has been endorsed by nine councils, including Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol City and North Somerset. More councils are expected to follow.
The charter is part of a growing movement to give nature a stronger voice in public decision-making. It does not create new legal obligations or replace existing environmental duties, but supporters say it offers a shared moral framework for councils and other organisations.
A river-wide approach
The campaign group We Are Avon is using the charter to bring councils, Wessex Water, farmers, river guardians and the West of England combined authority into closer discussions about the Avon catchment.
The group has helped establish 18 guardian organisations, which test water quality, remove litter and care for stretches of the river and its tributaries. Bath and North East Somerset has also appointed a river advocate, while workshops are exploring how decisions could be organised around the river’s natural catchment rather than council boundaries.
The charter follows an eight-day pilgrimage from the Avon’s source to the sea, during which participants planted trees, sowed seeds and restored footpaths. Campaigners are also developing farm clusters and exploring a community-owned hub for regenerative land management.
Why it matters for Britain
The Avon project gives councils and local communities a practical way to coordinate work on water quality, biodiversity and land management. Its catchment-wide model could also offer useful lessons for other UK rivers considering similar charters.
