In early October, we joined a walk hosted by the Staffordshire Business and Environment Network to learn about river restoration works delivered by the Trent Rivers Trust along a reach of the upper Trent in Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent.
The River Trent in this area flows within a relatively narrow green corridor and the channel has historically been realigned to accommodate construction of the A500 dual carriageway which runs parallel to the river on the southern side, with industrial and commercial premises along the opposing northern bank.
The river environment faces numerous challenges along this reach due to:
- Pollution from surface water outfalls from the adjacent road and industrial sites.
- Invasive species including Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam.
- Flood and erosion risks.
River Restoration Works and Nature-Based Solutions on the River Trent
The Trent Rivers Trust has sought to address these challenges by implementing a number of multi-beneficial interventions including:
- Working with National Highways to divert highway outfalls into smaller vegetated channels within the berm that help trap pollutants before outflows reach the main channel, as well as slowing the discharge to reduce erosion risks along the river bank.
- Creation of scrapes and backwaters along the banks of the river to provide additional storage during flood events and help create new habitats to improve biodiversity.
- Construction of brash berms along sections of the channel side to reduce erosion that was creating a risk to the adjacent public footpath.
The interventions provide a great case study of how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can be implemented effectively along reaches of urban rivers. It was encouraging to see how quickly the interventions had become established and blend into the river environment.
There is still work to do to address all of the challenges impacting the river in this area but the works undertaken so far provide a great start on improving the river for the public and wildlife.
The event also provided a great opportunity to meet with other environment professionals and businesses based within the local region and to identify and discuss common challenges facing the sector.
How RAB Can Support Nature-Based Solutions Projects
RAB Consultants are able to assist with the assessment, design and specification of Nature-based Solutions and further details of some of the many projects we have worked on can be found in our case studies below. If you require support with your own NbS project, get in touch with one of the team today.