Conservation project sees banks of River Wiske restored near Northallerton

The wide ranging Wild Wiske Revival: Clean and Green project, carried out in partnership between the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, focused on restoration of the River Wiske, near Northallerton. Officials said land management caused sediment and its associated nutrients and chemicals to enter the river, smothering the river bed and leaving few areas for fish to spawn. This was exacerbated by livestock accessing the river and compounded by unstable river banks and erosion.

A new channel at the River Wiske

Working closely with landowners, the project started in April 2019 and centred on creating new habitat and reducing the amount of sediment and water run-off from land and farms entering the river. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust action included:

• Installing 3.5 miles of fencing to prevent livestock going into the river, reducing sediment and allowing the river banks to recover
• Planting 1,500 trees and 300m of new hedgerow to stabilise the river banks, reduce run-off from the land into the river, provide habitat for wildlife and increase shade to cool the water in summer
• Reprofiling 1,300m of river bank to reduce erosion
• Uncovering a 500m culvert at South Otterington, creating 1.5ha of new wetland habitat and reducing flooding to farmland and farm buildings
• Giving advice to five landowners on pest management to reduce pollution entering the watercourse

Allison Pierre, from the Environment Agency’s Environment Programme team, said: “The River Wiske has a long history of intensive management for land drainage – historically it has been straightened, deepened and widened resulting in an unnatural channel with little value for wildlife.

“This fantastic three-year project to improve conditions has made great strides in bringing the river to life. The result is reduced pollution, improved water quality, new habitat for wildlife to thrive and reduced flooding.”