78 Lake District National Trust - Riverlands Project
LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL TRUST - RIVERLANDS PROJECT
Riverlands is a national partnership programme with the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales , taking a catchment-based approach to restoring our rivers and the landscapes that drain into them across the country .
The Riverlands projects aims to restore rivers and catchments to be healthy , clean and rich in wildlife ; easily accessed , valued and loved for their heritage and beauty ; and with sustainable , long-terms plans for their care . For the Lake District National Trust , the only way this can be achieved is by working together with nature , with people , and in partnership at a landscape scale .
In the Lake District , the Riverlands programme has focused on the Ullswater and Derwent catchments , delivering restoration projects ranging from re-meandering to pond creation ; peatbog restoration to hedgerow planting and wood pasture creation .
The rivers in Ullswater flow through hill farms , wood pasture , alongside roads and through busy tourist villages , feeding the landscape as they go .
Unfortunately , the valley ’ s rivers are in trouble and consequently so are many of the roads , communities and habitats that surround them . These waterways respond rapidly to rainfall and pose a flood risk to settlements downstream .
The valley has suffered three major storm events in the last ten years and the catastrophic impact of Storm Desmond in 2015 prompting discussion on how by working with nature , the valley can be made more resilient .
The Ullswater Rivers Scheme will work to slow the flow of these rivers by reconnecting them with the floodplain - allowing the wider landscape to absorb the effects of the weather . Creating rivers and floodplains which are governed by natural processes will result in improved flood resilience , water quality and habitats .
The first phase of this scheme will see the Lake District National Trust work with partners including the Environment Agency , Natural England and Cumbria County Council to restore Goldrill Beck to a more natural course where it currently follows the A592 between Cow Bridge and Menneting Bridge .
This will move the river away from the road , allowing it to spill onto surrounding land belonging to Howe Green and Beckstones farms during periods of high rainfall .
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