A new exhibition space has opened at Sutton Bank National Park Centre, inviting visitors to learn more about the wildlife and landscapes of the River Rye, which flows across the west of the North York Moors and into the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

From its source in the Cleveland Hills, to where it joins the River Derwent near Malton, the Rye is a landmark that has connected communities for centuries.

Since 2019, the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, has been working to restore and enhance the River Rye itself, and also its wider catchment area and habitats. This includes the Rivers Seph and Riccal, along with ancient woodlands, marshy grasslands and species-rich meadows.

The exhibition at Sutton Bank tells the story of the Rye landscape, as well as its wildlife, history and cultural significance. Amongst the displays is an Augmented Reality sandbox, which allows people to create their own valleys and river systems in a container of sand, and then watch as virtual rain falls onto their landscape and flows through their catchment.

The River Rye, near Rievaulx, Helmsley. An exhibition at Sutton Bank shows how restoration of the river is helping wildlife and other species.

Alexandra Cripps, Rivers Programme Manager at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “A key part of the Ryevitalise project has been outreach and engagement, with members of the team visiting schools, hosting workshops and working with community groups to teach them more about the importance of our rivers. We are delighted that this interactive exhibition will now give all those who visit Sutton Bank National Park Centre the opportunity to consider the River Rye in a new way, as an essential and remarkable ecosystem, not just a geographic feature.”

The exhibition also features two digital microscopes, which invite visitors to further explore the area’s vegetation and geology, along with information about the various animal species that make the catchment their home.

“The Rye has such ecological and historic significance to this particular area,” she added.

“Sutton Bank is just a few miles from Rievaulx, meaning ‘Rye Valley’, named so by the Cistercian monks who were inspired to found their incredible abbey by the river in the twelfth century.

“We also know the Rye Valley is home to some very rare species, including the mysterious Alcathoe bat.”

The Ryevitalise project runs until March 2025 and is working to conserve and enhance the River Rye and its tributaries. Over the course of the project, water quality has been improved through measures to reduce sedimentation and agricultural run-off, new woodlands have been planted and invasive species have been controlled. The aim is to restore the Rye as a healthy and more naturally-functioning river, which supports robust habitats and therefore strengthens the local wildlife population. Running parallel to this conservation work is a drive to reconnect local people to the River Rye through citizen science events and educational activities.

Exhibition opens on project taking place to restore River Rye and habitats