Grants

River Restoration

Youth Sailing Dart Estuary Custodians

£6,000 awarded

Project Dates: 1.05.25 to 1.11.25

Connecting all age groups especially local young people to the local marine environment through enjoying being on the water and connecting with nature.Using water based activities (sailing, paddle boarding, and kayaking) to raise awareness and educate all age groups in how to protect our local marine and inland waters to safeguard the wildlife and habitats. The aim of this project is to give more young people the opportunity to get on their local river, engaged with nature while encouraging a deep appreciation of their local environment. By combining dinghy sailing, sea kayaking and a paddle-board programme with nature observation and monitoring activities, the project seeks to develop a sense of environmental stewardship. This project will be carried out by the Royal Dart Youth Sailing Trust, in the Dart estuary, and will be delivered through various interventions including:
  • Discussions with the young sailors focused on increasing their awareness of the wildlife species living on the Dart Estuary and the environmental threats they face, such as plastic and sewage pollution, and agricultural run-off. This will introduces young people to their local riparian and marine ecosystems, and highlight the challenges they face.
  • Hosting a series of environmental talks from local experts spanning water quality, native species, and the complexity of ecosystems.
  • ‘Dart Estuary Custodian of the Year’ initiative to encourage active participation and eagerness to get involved, and promote the scheme more widely in the local community.

 

Images courtesy of Royal Dart Yacht Club.

IMPACT SUMMARY JANUARY 2026:

Project Activities

  • Over 450 local young people engaged with environmental based learning themed around the River Dart using water-based activities as the medium.
  • Coverage includes 7 local schools over a 15-day period.
  • 40 instructors and volunteers ‘buying into’ the project delivering environmental related learning both on and off the water.
  • Providing funding to Devon Sea Kayak so that they were able to increase their engagement with the project which included visiting Dart Academy prior to the Sea Kayak and Paddle Board days to orientate and thereby maximise the children into thinking about the maritime/coastal environment.
  • Galmpton School being awarded the RDYST Environmental custodian of the year award for the outstanding results of the creative writing exercise post-sailing week.
  • ‘Full house’ presentation on 12 Nov to RDYC members and supporters of the trust highlighting the relationship between RDYST and DEF and real and tangible outcomes of the Project.

 

Project Impact

The project has been developed to work towards installing the following in environmentally friendly actions within its participants and the Dart River community; to raise awareness and educate both younger (and older) River Dart boat users in the best practice that can be adopted to protect our marine and inland waters to safeguard the wildlife and habitats:

  • Respect: Minimise noise; minimise wash; keep to speed limits.
  • Protect: don’t throw anything overboard; keep hull and equipment clean; take care when handling fuel; use eco-friendly cleaning products.
  • Enjoy: observe wildlife from a distance; enjoy our amazing local waters whilst safeguarding wildlife and habitats.