As part of the LIFE WADER nature recovery initiative, Tweed Forum have been working in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England and local landowner Harehope Estate to deliver an ambitious restoration programme on the River Breamish, near Wooler
In one of the largest river restoration projects in the UK, Tweed Forum has been working closely with Harehope Estate to reinstate natural processes on the River Breamish in Northumberland (south of the town of Wooler) using techniques such as re-meandering, floodplain reconnection, habitat creation (shallow ponds, wetlands), embankment breaches and installation of silt traps and woody dams (which will deflect flow in the new channels).
The project team used historic maps to determine that the river had been modified and straightened centuries ago for agricultural purposes, with around a mile of river channel lost. This created a river disconnected from its floodplain leading to a decline in freshwater species, reduced biodiversity and an increased risk of flooding downstream. Using this historical data, plus sophisticated Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) 3D modelling of the terrain, to help trace the river’s exact original meanders, the re-meandering of the river channel along with the other restoration measures will help deliver a more natural mosaic of habitats to help nature recovery, improve water quality and make the landscape more resilient to climate change.
Following the re-meandering and floodplain reconnection works, the river will continue to develop its own ‘final design’, spilling out onto the floodplain, forming wetlands, with the river adapting and changing in response to the landscape it flows through and prevailing environmental conditions. Habitat in and around the new river channel will continue to mature following the immediate restoration works, benefitting wildlife such as salmon, heron, kingfishers and damselflies as well as aquatic plants such as water crowfoot (Ranunculus spp), an internationally protected species.
The restored River Breamish will be monitored by project partners to track improvements in water quality, fish populations, and the establishment of wetland habitats, with findings shared to support similar restoration projects across the UK.
The River Breamish lies in the River Till catchment (a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation) and you can read more about our work across the wider Till catchment over on our River Till Restoration Strategy page.
