Background

Windermere is England’s largest lake, situated in the Lake District National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lake Windermere and its water quality is under increasing pressure from nutrients, climate change, extreme weather patterns and the seasonal variations of tourist numbers. There are concerns over the health of the lake, in particular algal blooms and bacterial pollution, potentially harmful to wildlife and humans.

The Love Windermere Partnership was formed in July 2022 to enable collaboration between a wide range of stakeholders in order to help deliver action to the water environment.  This will bring benefits for people wildlife and the local economy.  Initially the partnership will focus on understanding the science, data and evidence of the main sources of pollution which come from  wastewater treatment plants, storm overflows, septic tanks and agricultural run-off, household products, and potentially lake sediment.

Windermere is an exemplar lake that is demonstrating how multiple environmental pressures come together to affect water quality. The significant water management issues concerning the lake require a collaborative approach and joined up resources, hence Natural Course supporting the work to bring about a healthier future for the lake and the surrounding area.

What we’re doing

Natural Course is funding a Love Windermere Partnership Manager

Training in Nature-based solutions for water and land management

Long-term management plan

Supporting a Communications Officer for the Love Windermere campaign

Who else is involved

There are ten partnership members within the Love Windermere initiative: The Environment Agency, Lake District National Park Authority, Freshwater Biological Association, Lake District Foundation, National Trust, South Cumbria Rivers Trust, National Farmers Union, Westmorland and Furness Council, United Utilities and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership.

The partnership aims to take a scientific and evidence-based approach to better understand the complex and interdependent pressures facing Windermere and prioritise effective solutions to improve the condition of the lake.

Project location

Lake Windermere, Cumbria