The Riverfly Partnership Conference 2025

Join us on Friday the 14th of November 2025, for a day of talks from the Riverfly network. This will be a hybrid event, you have the option of joining us in person at the Flett Theatre, Natural History Museum, London, or remotely via MS Teams. 

The conference will bring together organisations and individuals participating in the Riverfly Partnership's three modes of monitoring; Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (RMI), Urban (URB) and Extended (EXT). We will share progress and developments from across the network. 

Speakers will include: Kerry Dodd (Buglife Scotland), Lisa Kirkwood (Riverfly Northern Ireland), Gareth Edge (SEWRT), Kelly Haynes (Environment Agency), Azra Glover (ZSL), James White (University of Birmingham), Sophie Cowling (FBA), Steve Brooks (RP co-chair), Trine Bregstein (RP) and a keynote from Dr. Josh Cohen on Riverkin (University of Leeds).

10:15 In-person registration at the foyer of the Flett Theatre. 

To reduce costs no refreshments will be provided but there are many facilities in the Museum and South Kensington. Or bring your own flask!

10:50 Online webinar waiting room opens.

10:55 Welcome and Introductions Steve Brooks (Co-Chair of Riverfly Partnership)

25 minute slots for each talk including 5 mins for questions.

Morning Session chaired by Steve Brooks (co-chair of Riverfly Partnership)

11:00 Riverfly update 2024 & 2025 - Trine Bregstein (RP @ Freshwater Biological Association)

11:20 Guardians of Our Rivers - Kerry Dodd (Buglife, Scotland)

11:45 Riverfly in Wales - Y wlad anghofiedig - Gareth Edge (South East Wales Rivers Trust)

12:10 Imagining the Potential of Riverfly in Northern Ireland - Lisa Kirkwood (RP Tutor, NI)

12:35 Collective action for rivers: The power of citizen science - Dr. Kelly Haynes (Environment Agency)

13:00 LUNCH AND POSTER SESSION. Lunch will not be provided. Please bring your own packed lunch or use the many facilities available in the Natural History Museum or close by in South Kensington. Please contact info@riverflies.org if you wish to present a poster.

Afternoon Session chaired by Rebecca Lewis (Buglife)

14:00 Riverfly and Riverkin - Dr. Josh Cohen (water@leeds, University of Leeds)

14:30 Birmingham River Champions and Urban Riverfly trends in the second city - Dr. James White, (University of Birmingham)

14:55 How good is my river? Using Extended Riverfly and predictive riverfly scores to assess site quality - Steve Brooks (Riverfly Partnership co-chair)

15:20 Improving the ways we monitor freshwater restoration: Case studies from the Crane - Azra Glover (ZSL)

15:55 Lakefly: Bringing the Riverfly Approach to Still Waters - Dr. Sophie Cowling (Freshwater Biological Association)

16:20 Reflections and thanks

16:30 Meeting close