Jake Cohen: Living Along the Wye and Usk

Across Wales, communities are witnessing the steady decline of rivers that once defined their landscapes, livelihoods and sense of place. Our Not So Freshwater campaign brings together voices from across the country who are seeing the impacts of pollution first-hand and calling for urgent action from the next Welsh Government.

Here, Jake Cohen, one of our Voices for Freshwater spokespeople, shares what it means to live beside two of Wales’ most polluted rivers.

How does water pollution show up where you live?

I live by the Wye and the Usk, two of the most ecologically degraded rivers in Wales, and rivers that have become emblematic of the water quality crisis in Wales. Both rivers are drowning in phosphorus and nitrogen, and this is mainly because they run through large productive farming landscapes, soaking in fertiliser, slurry and pesticides.

My dog loves to swim, but I’ll be damned if she’s getting in those rivers. We consistently see messages come through warning us of algal blooms which are toxic to dogs, but more importantly block light which kills off aquatic plants, starving the river of oxygen and destroying the whole ecosystem.

It is devastating to watch this happen, we know the science, we know this will destroy ecosystems forever and come back to bite us, we know it’s happening right now, but yet nothing is happening. 

How does it affect your relationship with nature or your community?

I work with hill farmers, so I understand their need for efficient farming systems which are facing relentless problems of their own. And on the one hand I feel that these products (fertiliser and pesticides) are so helpful for farming systems in this current political landscape of food production but see the damning consequences of such efficiencies.

But yet, I stand with nature. I have seen tried and tested ways in which farming remains productive but accounts for nature – buffer strips, agroforestry, cover crops…

It is not the fault of the hill farmer. There are far more major consequences from industrial farms driven by big profit. We must support farmers and food production financially in a way that supports them to create food for our growing population, but at the same time accounts for nature. 

What do you want the next Welsh Government to protect or change?

We must support and encourage farming systems to make productive healthy food in a sensible way which takes nature into account. The SFS and the new Environment Bill are a great way to enshrine this in law. We must support farmers to adopt sensible, reasonable and simple practices which if anything have been proven to increase yield and productivity.

There are many examples of this. But I spoke to a farmer just yesterday who said that he reduced his headage of Ewe’s by around 400, by keeping the healthiest – he almost doubled his numbers of successful lambs the following year. He also saved money through less fertiliser, feed, wormer, sheep dip and other chemicals. So, we have a more profitable farmer, healthier sheep, better quality food and a lot less chemicals running off into our rivers. No brainer, right?

We’re not asking to get rid of farming – we’re asking to find a happy medium where farms can farm and nature can thrive.

Join the Not So Freshwater Campaign & take action

Rivers like the Wye and the Usk should be places where biodiversity and community thrive hand in hand, but instead, they're home to warning signs and toxic blooms.

Through our Not So Freshwater campaign, we’re calling on the next Welsh Government to strengthen protections for our rivers, support farmers to transition to nature-friendly systems, and tackle pollution at its source.

This election is a chance to push for stronger protections for our rivers. If you care about the future of Wales’ waterways, send our election manifesto to your Member of the Senedd (MS) and ask them to commit to its priorities.

Tell them why clean rivers matter where you live. Share this story or your own. Make sure your voice is part of the conversation shaping the next Welsh Government.