Category: River Restoration

Over the last 25 years, Salix have developed a diverse range of experience for river & wetland enhancement projects across the UK.

Our experienced technical staff, together with specialist machinery and the UK’s largest wetland nursery allows us to offer a complete service from initial discussions through to full Design & Build.

River Stour Embankment Restoration

Soft engineering solutions presented by Salix, such as Coir Rolls, Rock Rolls and shear stress turf, represent a major cost saving over traditional hard revetments

Re-naturalisation of the Broadwater Brook

Salix worked with the Sompting Estate, and the Ouse and Adur River Trust to re-naturalise a watercourse, constructing a kilometre of new channel for the Broadwater Brook.

Restoring the River Beane, a Chalk Stream

Salix enabled the restoration of wetlands and chalk stream habitat whilst bypassing a weir which was a listed heritage feature

Channel 1 year after restoration, note the reduction in channel width and diverse marginal and riparian vegetation

Restoring the River Mimram, Tewin

Salix were commissioned to restore part of the river Mimram whilst protecting the local population of water voles and increasing the biodiversity

Re-naturalising River Nairn

Salix worked on the River Nairn in an award winning project to renaturalise the river, allowing it to meander again and restoring river processes.

Flooding and erosion prevention in Sheffield

When a flashy stream was unearthed in Sheffield Salix were brought in as specialist experts in erosion management by the Wild Trout Trust. The Porter Brook was subject to regular flooding, if it rained on the Peaks then the city centre would flood.

Well established pre-planted Coir Rolls after a significant flood event

River Bank Erosion Management at Wisley Golf Course

Extreme river bank erosion rectified by regrading the river bank and using Coir Rolls and Coir Pallets, preventing erosion naturally

Spider Menzi Muck Excavator moving large woody debris below Swinsty Reservoir

River Washburn Restoration

Salix were approached as river restoration experts and because of the innovative Menzi Muck Spider machine which is capable of climbing in and out of a river causing little disturbance.

Babingley river restoration work using woody debris

Naturalising Norfolk’s Chalk Rivers

Salix has helped the Norfolk Rivers Trust to improve wildlife habitats on the chalk River Babingley, Hillington Estate near Flitcham, and River Nar at Pentney, near Kings Lynn.

River Thaw Enhancement

Salix were asked by Environment Agency Wales to advise on methods to restore a 100 metre reach of the River Thaw which had been subject to physical degradation by overgrazing and cattle poaching.

Vegetation Establishment 18 Months Later

River Roding Bank Protection

Salix advised engineers Halcrow on bioengineering methods to stabilise a regraded slope as part of an inter-tidal river enhancement project. The existing vertical retaining wall provided no habitat value.

Training day on intertidal restoration work

River Roding Enhancement

The River Roding is an inter-tidal river and these works were undertaken 100m upstream of the Barking Barrier, Greater London. The works were part of an Environment Agency environmental enhancement project with both flood defence and nature conservation in mind.