Restoration scheme for historic Welsh river completed

Ella Groves

A river habitat restoration scheme to renaturalise the River Usk has been completed this year.

Part of a wider nature restoration by the National Trust, the scheme was led by Natural Resources Wales’ (NRW) Four Rivers for LIFE project and the River Restoration Centre (RRC).

The scheme focused on part of the River Tarell, an important tributary of the River Usk’s Special Area of Conservation.

The river is just one of similar habitats in the UK that has been altered to reduce their natural dynamism.

Rivers should, in their natural state, regularly inundate their floodplains, increasing wetland habitat locally and reducing the flood risk downstream.

Fallen trees naturally affect the river channel, helping the river find new paths and creating habitat diversity.

In-river trees create spawning habitats for a variety of fish, as well as providing shade and keeping rivers cool in summer, reducing some of the effects of climate change.

The Tarell restoration project aimed to restore these natural processes by re-introducing wood into the river channel.

The work saw 40 trees winched into a 600 metre strech of river to create 14 large wood structures, each strategically positioned to encourage floodplain reconnection and improve habitat.

Benefits

A Four Rivers for LIFE River Restoration Officer said: “After only just six months we’ve started to see the benefits with new gravel areas forming and improving conditions for salmon spawning.

“Also, during Storms Bert and Darragh, the river flooded out onto its natural floodplain, which is exactly what we had hoped it would do. This means that a considerable amount of water was being held back and not reaching downstream during a peak weather event.”

Alan Kearsley Evans from the National Trust added: “This river habitat restoration project is an excellent example of how relatively minor restoration works can kick start natural processes and promote ecosystem recovery.

“Naturally functioning ecosystems are far more robust and resilient to future environmental pressures. The work was accompanied by a tree planting scheme this March to encourage woodland recovery across the Ty Mawr Farm estate.”

The Four Rivers for LIFE Project is funded by the EU LIFE Programme with support from Welsh Government and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water.