23rd November 2023

This and many other fascinating facts were absorbed by a capacity crowd at the Old Laundry in Bowness which hosted a special science evening. Organised by the Freshwater Biological Association and funded by Lancaster University the event drew together a range of scientists who shared their expertise about the lake.

Dr Lyndsey Harper, Senior Scientist with the Freshwater Biological Association, discussed the history and make-up of Windermere.

Stephen Thackery and Dr Ellie Mackay from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology shared research which showed how Windermere’s water quality compares to neighbouring lakes.

The Environment Agency’s David Hortin gave an insight into the challenges faced by the regulator.

Dr Ben Surridge from Lancaster explained the benefits of the Big Windermere Survey, hailed as the country’s biggest ‘citizen science’ programme.

Dr Lyndsey Harper, Senior Scientist with the Freshwater Biological Association, said: ‘Water quality pressures on Windermere cannot be tackled in isolation. Management and restoration will need to go further than ever before to achieve improvement in the face of climate change. Long-term data on the lake’s biology and water chemistry will be key to provide evidence based solutions.’