The Our Rivers LEADER Transnational Cooperation Project was delivered by the River South Esk Catchment Partnership and Merikarvia Municipality in Satakunta Finland. The overall purpose of the project was to facilitate the creation of resilient, innovative and prosperous communities on a landscape scale. The project focused on collaborative river management, invasive non-native species control, climate change resilience and community volunteering. The River South Esk has been twinned with the principal river in the area – the Merikarvia. 

The Wild South Esk Trail was inspired by this collaboration with Finland, and is the first of its kind for Angus, if not Scotland.