This isn’t your everyday podcast episode. It’s the audio companion to an information panel along the River Alwen, a tributary of the River Dee in North Wales. Whether you’re listening from home or standing by the water, this short recording brings the story of river restoration to life.

Join Joel Rees-Jones, LIFE Dee River Project Manager, as he reveals the fascinating lifecycle of the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussel and the ambitious conservation work happening in the Afon Dyfrdwy a Llyn Tegid Special Area of Conservation. These mussels still cling to survival in the River Dee, but poor water quality and habitat loss mean no young mussels are emerging naturally - a challenge the project is determined to overcome.

To give these mussels a fighting chance, the project is using pearl mussels raised in the Natural Resources Wales hatchery, aiming to restore self-sustaining populations. The project has also removed and adapted weirs to help fish move freely, which is vital for the mussel’s lifecycle, and carried out a host of improvements to habitats and water quality. This guide also explores how deeply connected river life is in this special landscape.