2024-25 Tales from an East Anglian Riverbank - Portfolio - Page 25
River stour national landscapes project
HOLISTIC CATCHMENT
MANAGEMENT
Working with:
Dedham Vale and Stour
Valley Project
Farmers & landowners
Anglian Water
Local volunteers
EA Lead:
James Carr
£91,000
£30,000
£61,000
Total Project Value
The River Stour and Chad Brook
noodplain was once diverse but had
become nat, fast-draining, and
largely wildlife-free. Working with
local farmers, the project created
scrapes, ponds, and wet ditches that
now a琀琀ract waders and wildfowl,
including lapwing, snipe, and rare
overwintering geese. Thousands of
invasive Giant Hogweed plants were
also removed, helping restore this
important wetland landscape.
Outputs:
14 new scrapes and c.1 km of
new wet ditches providing varied
habitats at di昀昀erent depths and
levels
A we琀琀er more absorbent
noodplain which will capture
di昀昀use pollu琀椀on and hold more
carbon
Removal of approx. 3,000
invasive Giant Hogweed plants
Seven new scrapes and shallow pools
enhancing the Stour noodplain pasture
in Long Melford—Credit: Adam Lunn, EA
Drone Team
Series of new scrapes, ditches and shallow pools along
the River Stour noodplain in Long Melford—Credit: Adam
Lunn, EA Drone Team
New wet habitat in the River Stour
noodplain at Long Melford
EA Funding
Partnership Funding
Outcomes:
Increased noodplain habitat,
biodiversity and carbon storage
Restora琀椀on of complex natural
habitats
Restored wet foot drain at Long Melford at the Chad
Brook and River Stour connuence
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