The Severn Rivers Trust is the only organisation working from source to sea, in both England and Wales, along the length of the UK’s longest river. The Severn Rivers Trust are an action-based charity, determined to play a key role in the recovery of this great river catchment.
The Trust’s 2030 strategy includes an ambition to deliver a portfolio of Pioneer Projects throughout the catchment. Each being bold river restoration schemes that show what’s possible when we think big for our rivers. Focused on pace, scale and lasting impact, these projects set a new benchmark for restoring the Severn’s freshwater environment – for nature and for people. The Walcot Wiggle is the first such scheme to be implemented.
The Walcot Wiggle project is being developed, funded and delivered in collaboration with Natural England’s Catchment Sensitive Farming, Environment Agency and the Shropshire Hills National Landscape team, in addition to financial support from a range of external funders, including Elgol Fund for Nature. Each partner bringing their individual skills and expertise necessary to enable this scheme to fruition.
Set in the heart of the River Clun catchment, this scheme will seek to re-naturalise a long-disconnected section of the River Kemp. The Kemp is a tributary of the River Clun, a designated Special Area of Conservation and one of the Severn basin’s most ecologically valuable rivers. The River Clun SAC is in unfavourable and declining condition due to high levels of phosphate, nitrogen, and silt. This section of the River Kemp was straightened in the past and is classified as moderate for fish and phosphate. The Walcot Wiggle Project will contribute toward improving both these rivers.
At the centre of the project is the revival of over a kilometre of historic paleochannel. This former river course, which was cut off by past land drainage and straightening, will be reconnected and brought back to life. This will provide the conditions for natural pool-riffle sequences to develop, providing much needed habitat diversity for a range of species, notably salmonids and aquatic invertebrates.
Alongside the in-channel work, carefully planned floodplain excavation will be undertaken to create a wetland mosaic that intrinsically connected to the river system itself. This work will provide enhanced floodplain habitat for a range of species including odonata, amphibians and priority ground nesting birds such as lapwing and curlew.
The Walcot Wiggle is a bold example of what river restoration can look like when we match ambition with collaborative action and landowner support. It shows the power of giving rivers room to move and nature the conditions to thrive, resulting in far reaching multiple benefits for biodiversity, flood risk reduction & climate mitigation.
Elgol Fund for Nature is contributing a further £7,000 on top of the original proposed budget to support additional baseline surveys, strengthening the evidence base for future BNG opportunities. This work will undertake a biodiversity baseline and prepare a Habitat Management & Monitoring Plan for the riparian habitat on site, to facilitate potential future BNG trading in connection with the biodiversity uplift achieved.
All photos courtesy of the Severn Rivers Trust
