Eelscapes

European eel

Rivers and associated wetlands are critical to the lifecycle of eels, providing the habitat for young eels to mature into adults. The Severn, with its extensive catchment, is the major migratory route for eels returning to freshwater wetlands in the UK via the Severn Estuary. Historically, the vast floodplain of the Severn Vale would have provided a large area of high-quality, well-connected wetland habitat for eels.

However, land reclamation and flood-control measures, such as flood banks, tidal flaps and other man-made barriers, have left many wetlands inaccessible and poorly connected. This reduction in habitat quantity and quality and the loss of connectivity has resulted in large-scale declines in the number of eels able to access and use the Severn Vale. This aligns with a decline of 90% in the recruitment of glass (juvenile) eels across Europe since the 1980s all of which have led to the European eel being classified as being critically endangered.

True fox-sedge

True fox-sedge is a species of lowland wet habitats listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red list and defined under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as a species of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity in England. It is restricted to a few locations in southern and north-eastern England, including a small colony centred around Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust’s Coombe Hill Canal & Meadows and Ashleworth Ham nature reserves within the Eelscapes project area. Given its vulnerability and relatively slow pace of natural spread the Gloucestershire colony of true fox-sedge would remain small, isolated and vulnerable to extinction without plans to actively reintroduce the species to restored floodplain areas close to the remaining colony. 

Both of the above species are good indicators of wetland health and work carried out to increase their numbers and distribution will also benefit wetland communities in general including the wintering wetland bird assemblage for which the Severn Estuary is designated.

The timeframe was tight to get the project bid submitted, so we included those parcels of land where we were confident that we could get necessary agreements in place with land managers. In some key locations there might be an opportunity to include additional land during the development phase, but this is quite a complicated process, and we need to be realistic about what can be included within the scope of this project.

However, we would really like to hear from anyone interested in the project and learn how we can work with you in the future.  Even if we can't add land to the project, there may be other ways to be engaged now or in subsequent work. We see this project as a catalyst showcasing the value of wetlands in the landscape and developing alternative funding mechanisms.

Flood Risk Modelling (FRM) will be an integral part of the development phase work and proposals will be carefully designed to manage flood risk to adjacent land and communities. Works may include creation of new internal bunds to control flood water where appropriate. It is possible the modelling will show the proposals reduce upstream or downstream flood risk.

Rewetting of land not currently within the project area might be considered, but only with the consent of the landowner, the Environment Agency and Local Planning Authority, and where it can be shown that benefits will outweigh the costs.

Impacts on food production and the local economy will be assessed as part of the scoping works during the development phase. Much of the land included is already subject to regular inundation, which is predicted to increase with climate change. In many places, management would include extensive grazing so land will continue to be farmed whilst also providing natural capital benefits.

Maintenance of flood defences is a matter between the Environment Agency and the landowner. In some situations, removal of flood defences in one section frees up budget to maintain defences elsewhere which could actually lead to better flood defence of some vulnerable communities - so one does not necessary lead to the other.

Where existing good quality habitat will be impacted, careful consideration will need to be given to how to proceed. Any proposal impacting protected habitats or species would require liaison with Natural England and other interest groups.

The project is focused on restoring natural processes which will include proposals to allow the river to flood its natural floodplain. Where good quality habitat exists in unnatural locations because of manmade defences, consideration may be given to replacing this habitat further back in the landscape where it would naturally be found and where the scheme as a whole will result in net benefits to habitats and species.

Some of these habitats, such as species-rich grasslands, are already at risk from climate change and increased inundation events so the creation of habitat higher up in the floodplain would help both the habitat and species that rely on them become more resilient and sustainable in the long-term.  

Providing opportunities to increase public access to green space is vital for health and wellbeing, learning and to foster strong connections between people and the landscapes in which they live. The Severn and its floodplain offer limited access to wetland areas; those areas are well-used demonstrating their value for accessibility. Eelscapes will both improve existing access, whilst also developing new opportunities across the area this work covers without compromising delivery of environmental objectives. This can also alleviate the serious adverse impacts of recreational pressure on some of the most sensitive wetland sites in this landscape.

During the development phase we will explore opportunities for creating new short and circular walks in the project region, balancing the public access needs with minimising disturbance to local communities and wildlife. Some routes could be opened seasonally, helping to offer new access opportunities whilst also minimising impact on bird nesting and/or to reduce damage to sites during periods of high rainfall.

Eelscapes will look to balance public access interests with the vital importance of maintaining and creating areas where wildlife can thrive away from pressures of human disturbance.

We are in the process of recruiting the Eelscapes project roles which will include a Senior Project Manager and Stakeholder Advisor who will be the main points of contact and engagement leads for the project. One the first jobs the project team will do is create a communication plan for Eelscapes setting out how we intend keeping stakeholders informed of proposals and project progress.

Until the team is recruited, do please get in touch with us at info@glocuestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk letting us know how you would like to be involved and we will ensure your details are added to our stakeholder database.

Hydrologically connected - Hydrological connectivity describes how well a river, and its tributaries, can function naturally within the catchment. The key questions are:

• Are there man made or natural barriers that stop water, fish and other species moving up and downstream (longitudinal connectivity)?
• Can the river overtop its banks during high rainfall events or have embankments disconnected the river from its floodplain (lateral connectivity)?
• How does water in the river interact with groundwater (vertical connectivity)?

Rivers are much wider than the channels we associate them with. The areas next to rivers, which are only covered by water during high rainfall events, are also part of the river system. Known as floodplains, in their natural condition they are an important ecological part of this system: they filter and store water, secure both natural flood protection and the healthy functioning of river ecosystems and help sustain the high biological diversity present there. Many species depend on this periodic/seasonal wetting to complete key stages of their life cycles.

Functionally linked land – Although not all of the Eelscapes project areas are directly connected or adjacent to each other and are some distance from the Severn Estuary designated sites, the fact that wetland species such as European eel (and birds) can move around considerably within the landscape means the creation/restoration of good quality habitat can help support the life and reproduction needs of populations for which the estuary has been designated. These areas form what is known as "functionally linked" land.