FULL charity status has been granted to the Wye Foundation, the organisation founded in 1995 to help save the river's declining population of wild salmon.
Its work to conserve and improve the salmon and other indigenous species of animal and plant life in the river has been formally approved by the Charity Commissioners.
It will now also be responsible for educating the public so that they understand the importance of the foundation's work.
Wye Foundation chairman Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith said: "Among other benefits that this status provides, it enables us to raise funds from the public and industry in a way that is highly tax-efficient to both us and the donors."
The announcement of charitable status is the second piece of recent good news for the foundation. A survey carried out at the Wye's major tributaries by the Environment Agency has shown improved habitats now held significant numbers of salmon fry and parr.
Over the past five years, the foundation has been directing and funding habitat-improvement work along hundreds of miles of the River Wye where the adult salmon spawn.
Dr Marsh-Smith said: "Since starting our work, we have removed more than 300 blockages in these rivers and streams that were preventing the returning salmon reaching their traditional spawning grounds."
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