Healthy Waters Alliance Projects
World Rowing National Federations, along with their clubs and athletes, as well as World Rowing Event Organising Committees around the world, will have access to the Healthy Waters Alliance platform to enable collaboration with WWF offices on impactful local projects focused on protecting and restoring Healthy Waters through awareness raising and hands-on activities to improve the health of rivers, lakes and coasts.
If you have project ideas that you want to submit to become part of the Healthy Waters ecosystem – please submit it through this online form so we can evaluate them based on the criteria and requirements.
Contact us at sustainability@worldrowing.com for more information.
Seabed Clean-Up
- Oslo, Norway – a seabed and shoreline clean-up week led by World Rowing Healthy Waters Alliance Ambassador Martin Helseth is planned for the week of June 3–8, 2025. Find more information about the project here.
- Genoa, Italy – during 2024 World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals working together, the WR & WWF Healthy Waters Alliance, WWF-Italy, the Event Organising Committee, and a local NGO (Spazzapnea) organised a Seabed Clean-up with a team of divers at Bagni San Nazaro in Genoa.
Adopt a Beach
Marine litter & monitoring programme to tackling plastic pollution
The Italian Rowing Federation (FIC) collaborates with WWF Italy to include the rowing community in protecting and restoring Italian beaches.
The Adopt a Beach Program will enable Italian rowing clubs to involve their volunteers, coaches, and rowers in actively maintaining local beaches, safeguarding both our planet and the places where we row.
Water Wardens by Rowing (WWbR)
WWbR a project by the FFA (Fédération Française d’Aviron) in cooperation with World Rowing and co-financed by the European Union (EU) aims to create a global movement in France around the urgency of using water efficiently and to protect it. It was officially launched during the 2023 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in Paris, France.
The project is constructed around two objectives:
1. Using our water related sport to raise awareness of a large audience.
2. Making our community of rowers the actors and leaders of a change in behaviour by building the project around two pillars of connected citizens who will share information about efficient water use, management and protection and encourage people to change their habits to act for good.
WWbR Project Impact:
1.Activation at the 2023 World Rowing U19CHs and European Rowing Beach Sprint CHs, with the support from the OCs
- Water Protection Conferences
- Sustainable food and plastic pollution exhibitions
- Deployment of green brigades (volunteers dedicated to water protection, waste management)
- Activation booths with WWbR Project’s Educational Kit (Kit Avinature)
- Live in-person interactive theatres to exchange with spectators and communities about water pollution and water protection.
KPIs: 1500 spectators/day, 450 athletes, 200 volunteers
2. Creation of WWbR Mobile application
- For the rowing community to upload data on water issues that restrict the use of the waterways for rowing.
- The data collected will enable scientists to have valuable input to tackle the issues.
KPIs: 246 uploads, 145 clubs engaged, 98 hrs of restricted practice
3. Creation of pedagogical resources and educational scheme of work
- Exhibitions, Kit Avi Nature, train-the-trainers
KPIs:25 School kits, 42 Trainers educated, 74 project uploads
4. Final Conference
- Topics connected to water protection, event certification, sustainable food and OC role on sustainability awareness.
WWbR Project Summary
WWbR mobile application download link
Download
- Plastic Pollution Educational Posters (FR – ENG)
- Sustainable Food Educational Posters (FR – ENG)
- Avi´Nature Educational Kit
Best Practices & Examples
From the rowing & sport community
Community Engagement, Legacy & Impact
- Fulham Reach Boat Club, UK – Community Impact & Environmental Impact
- Stratford upon Avon Boat Club, UK – Sustainability workshop
- French Rowing Federation – Water Wardens by Rowing project
- 2025 ERCHs, HUN Organising Committee – Goodwill Programme
- HOSR,USA – Takes Water Initiative to Local Elementary School & Love Where You Row Programme
- Kinross Wolaroi School Rowing Programme, AUS – Spring Creek Restoration
Water Conservation & Quality
- World Rowing – Water Quality Testing Guidelines
- 2023 WRMR Tshwane, RSA – Freshwater Conservation, Reduction of Eutrophication, Improvement of Water Quality
- Sydney International Regatta Centre, AUS – Water Quality Management
- British Rowing, UK – Rowing club water quality initiatives
Nature Protection
- Adopt A Beach – Marine litter & monitoring programme to tackling plastic pollution
- 2024 WRCCBSF OC, ITA – Seabed clean-up dive
- British Rowing & UK Paddle – Biosecurity & Invasive Species Prevention
- French Rowing Federation – Water Wardens by Rowing project
Nature Restoration
- 2023 WRMR Tshwane, RSA – Invasive Species Prevention & Dam environmental restoration
- Kinross Wolaroi School Rowing Programme, AUS – Spring Creek Restoration
- York St John Boat Club, UK – Installed wildlife boxes, created a wildflower garden.
- Ross Rowing Club,UK – Tree planting
Sustainable Resource Management
- Brenda Taylor OLY, CAN – project about decarbonising rowing by replacing gas-powered coach boats with electric outboards.
- Walter Rowing Club, UK – PV panels on boathouse roof to decarbonise electricity
Waste Reduction & Circular Economy
- 2025 ERCHs, HUN Organising Committee – Reusable catering materials, refill water stations, on-site recycling programme with local organisation
- 2024 WR Cup I, ITA Organising Committee – Food donations, e-bikes & waste management system
*This page will be updated frequently, so be sure to check back for the latest information.
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