Our tree-planting work featured on Sunday’s BBC Countryfile programme as part of a brilliant edition about the River Tweed. If you missed it, you can catch-up on BBC i-player https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002s6cb/countryfile-on-the-eve-of-the-salmon-season-the-river-tweed.
As part of the programme, presenter Matt Baker helped Tweed Forum Project Officer, Jane Gibson, plant some downy birch, goat willow and alder trees along the riverbank in the headwaters of the Leader Water, a tributary of the Tweed.
Native trees are important for many reasons including helping young Atlantic salmon survive. They provide ideal habitat for pollinators and for invertebrates that the Atlantic salmon can then feed off. Importantly, when grown they provide dappled shading that helps cool water temperatures which are increasing due to the warming climate. Warm water holds less oxygen, making it harder for Atlantic salmon, a cold-water species, to breathe and causing significant stress.
The whole programme is a wonderful showcase of the River Tweed, its heritage, traditions and importance in the area so we highly recommend that you take a look.
And thanks again to Matt and the superb Countryfile team for including our work.