Th e Tarland Catchment Initiative is a partnership venture between researchers, land managers, regulators, and the local community. Its aims are to improve water quality, promote biodiversity, and increase awareness of catchment management. In this study, the eff ects of buff er strip installations and remediation of a large septic tank effl uent were appraised by water physicochemistry (suspended solids, NO 3 , NH 4 , soluble reactive P) and stream macroinvertebrate indices used by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. It was done during before and after interventions over an 8-yr period using a paired catchment approach. Because macroinvertebrate indices were previously shown to respond negatively to suspended solid concentrations in the study area, the installation of buff er strips along the headwaters was expected to improve macroinvertebrate scores. Although water quality (soluble reactive P, NH 4 ) improved downstream of the septic tank effl uent after remediation, there was no detectable change in macroinvertebrate scores. Buff er strip installations in the headwaters had no measurable eff ects (beyond possible weak trends) on water quality or macroinvertebrate scores. Either the buff er strips have so far been ineff ective or ineff ectiveness of assessment methods and sampling frequency and time lags in recovery prevent us detecting reliable eff ects. To explain and appreciate these constraints on measuring stream recovery, continuous capacity building with land managers and other stakeholders is essential; otherwise, the feasibility of undertaking suffi cient management interventions is likely to be compromised and projects deemed unsuccessful.