The BBC has reported that a water company plans to create 26 new wetlands across the East of England to help improve river water quality. Anglian Water, which admitted dumping sewage in the River Stour 389 times last year, said the scheme would help protect rivers and chalk stream habitats. The project follows a pilot set up […]
England’s second ‘super’ National Nature Reserve (NNR) has been declared in Somerset by Natural England on the 70th anniversary of the creation of national nature reserves. The Somerset Wetlands NNR has absorbed the six reserves on the Somerset Levels and Moors and added 56% more land to the area occupied by the original site. Tony […]
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) has teamed-up with nine other environmental organisations to form the Blue Recovery Leaders Group. The initiative, which includes the Berkeley Group and The Church Commissioners for England aims to “fight climate change, restore our wellbeing and help nature recover”. Each organisation involved has committed to develop initiatives that will help WWT […]
Britain’s loudest bird, the “booming” bittern, is making a recovery after almost disappearing from the UK twice. The RSPB reported the birds had had a “record-breaking year” in 2021, with 228 males counted, up from 209 in 2019. Ornithologist Dr Alex Lees described it as a “spectacular conservation success story” thanks to the restoration of wetland habitats. […]
Leading organisations are working with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) on a new initiative to help fight the climate, nature and wellbeing crisis by creating networks of healthy wetlands across the UK. The Blue Recovery Leaders Group inaugural meeting at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire, was chaired by chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, […]
From Yorkshire Water The first nature-based wastewater treatment in Yorkshire has been completed at Yorkshire Water’s Clifton wastewater treatment works near Doncaster where sustainable wastewater treatment is now underway after the planting of 20,000 wetland plants. The site has been transformed into an integrated constructed wetland, with the clay in the ponds and the plants […]
The international NNBF Guidelines provide practitioners with the best available information concerning the conceptualization, planning, design, engineering, construction, and maintenance of NNBF to support resilience and flood risk reduction for coastlines, bays, and estuaries, as well as river and freshwater systems. Read more here. The NNBF Guidelines include 20 chapters organized into three sections: overarching […]
From Defra About blocking in-field drains in grassland You can block in-field drains or remove them to restore natural flows of water through grassland. The natural passage of freshwater through rocks, soil and over land supports many habitats and species. If you use artificial surface and sub-surface drainage, it will change the natural flow of […]