Grant of £3,330 awarded in 2021. Total project cost £7,424
The main aim of this project was to improve the habitat quality and biodiversity value of this Priority Habitat. Reducing tree cover and bankside brambles has enabled more light to reach the water in a heavily over-shaded section, which has promoted the recovery of riparian habitat which is now supporting important species such as the water vole, wild brown trout and the many specialist invertebrates present in the chalk stream.
The riverbank was cleared of Himalayan balsam in mid-summer prior to the start of the main project. Nine large bankside willows were pollarded by specialist arborist, habitat piles created on site, and sections of bramble were removed from the bank edge. To further encourage recovery of riparian vegetation, sections of the bank were seeded with a specialist wetland seed mix. Two major obstructions to flow (which were collecting debris and litter) were cleared along with several large fallen limbs from the opposite bank. Smaller sections of large woody debris have been left in place in line with Wild Trout Trust guidance to provide habitat, flow diversity and cover for fish.
Two barn owl boxes and a little owl box were put up in the surrounding river corridor to further support local biodiversity – the surrounding habitat provides good hunting for both species – but nesting opportunities are often limited. It was decided not to create an artificial otter holt as several natural features are already present on this site and the opposite side of the river.
Project delivery went ahead largely as planned. A digger was needed to deal with two willows that had collapsed into the river and a couple of blockages that could not be dealt with in conventional means. This section of rare chalk stream has now recovered and has become excellent water vole habitat, supporting the recovery of this charismatic priority species.
The grant holder told us that “There is no doubt that the work we were able to complete due to TOE funding has led to real biodiversity gain on this section of rare chalk stream.”