Cwmparc River Restoration

Spider machine at Cwmparc

Salix worked with Natural Resources Wales at Cwmparc in the Rhondda Valley to renaturalise the water courses in order to reduce flood risk and increase biodiversity.

River Dulais, Rhosmaen Llandeilo

Salix’s River Dulais project demonstrating the use of large woody debris (LWD) is now ten years old and has been is included in the manual of River Restoration Techniques.

Woodberry Wetlands

Woodberry reedbeds vegetating

Desilting a large reservoir in the heart of London and creating a new wetland habitat. Dredging silts enabled us to create 13,000 square metres of new reed bed

Slowing the flow at Cwmparc

Cwmparc and the spider in action

With funding from the Welsh Government’s Nature Fund, we supported Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in taking steps to naturalise one of the concrete channels which brings water down from the mountains at Cwmparc,

Woodberry in the Guardian

Woodberry Wetlands desilting work

Wildlife gardening on a colossal scale, The Guardian admires our Woodberry Wetlands work. Desilting large areas of the old reservoirs to create new reedbeds.

Naturalising Norfolk’s Chalk Rivers

Babingley river restoration work using woody debris

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.

Wetland Creation for New Wildlife Reserve

New reedbed and wetland area being created

We have started pump dredging/desilting at Woodberry Wetlands in East London, creating new reed beds and islands. Our desilting work uses an amphibious machine…

Lake Desilting & Biodiversity Improvements at Midhurst’s South Pond

Revetments at Midhurst

The South Downs National Park Authority has commissioned Salix to help create a wildlife haven on the South Pond, at the edge of Midhurst town centre in West Sussex. The large 800-year old pond, which has a 270-metre perimeter and two small islands, had been suffering from pollution and heavy siltation.

Bionet C125BN

Bionet C125BN 100% Biodegradable blanket

Bionet biodegradable erosion control blankets are designed to provide immediate erosion protection and vegetation establishment assistance, then degrade after the root and stem systems of the vegetation are mature enough to permanently stabilise the underlying soil.

10th Anniversary River Dulais Project

Living-Root-Wad-Revetment

Tenth Anniversary of Salix’s Project on The River Dulais, Rhosmaen, Llandeilo.

Salix’s River Dulais project demonstrating the use of large woody debris (LWD) is now ten years old and we are delighted to announce that this ground breaking project has been included in the River Restoration Centre (RRC) Manual of Techniques.

Wilderness Lake

Wilderness Lake

The Wilderness Lake is an important coarse fishery and recreational resource on the edge of Porthcawl in South Wales. It also functions as a flood storage area for the surrounding urban areas.

Cwmbran Boating Lake

Cwmbran Boating Lake

The boating lake was a popular local attraction and fishing lake. The lake edges were in bad repair with little or no marginal vegetation. Floating islands were also required to add further habitat for fish and wildfowl.

Foss Dyke Bank Stabilisation

Bank Stabilisation

A rise in pleasure boating on the Foss resulted in severe boat wash. Monitoring revealed that the rate of bank erosion was up to 2.5 metres in a year over a 2km stretch.

River Ebbw Bank Stabilisation

River restoration

Salix worked with consulting geotechnical engineers to provide design and build proposals to stabilise over 800 metres of steep riverbank composed of highly erodible colliery shale.

River Pipeline Crossing

Salix were invited to submit a bioengineering solution to solve an erosion issue at a pipeline crossing in West Wales. The solution used a combination of locally harvested willow and Rock Rolls to provide a stable revetment in this cobble bed river.

River Roding Bank Protection

Vegetation Establishment 18 Months Later

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.

River Roding Enhancement

Training day on intertidal restoration work

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.

Dan Y Lan Landfill Slip

Dan y Lan landfill

The finished slope was 36 degrees, 40 metres in height and 60m wide. 250mm depth of topsoil was required, rather than the nominal 50-75mm, as cover for marginally contaminated on site fill material.

Beacon Park

Dredging in front of Lichfield Cathedral

Salix were employed by main contractor Casey to undertake the restoration work to Beacon Pool for Lichfield Council on this Heritage lottery funded project.

Water Vole Habitat Works

channel-1-year-after-restoration

Salix successfully tendered for a pilot project to improve marginal vegetation along the River Wandle. The project formed part of a wider scheme to reintroduce water vole to the river.

Upper Lake, Perton

A two hectare area of open water had extensive embankment erosion due to massive populations of Canada Geese

A two hectare area of open water had extensive embankment erosion due to massive populations of Canada Geese which created public health & safety issues.

Grand Union Canal

Chaser on river restoration

The project aim was to restore a wetland area on the banks of the Grand Union Canal for the benefit of wildlife and the fishery. The scheme design ensured that no material was taken off site and that particular focus was on creating suitable habitat for Water Voles and amphibian species such as Newts.

Soham Lode Re-visited

important water vole site

An important water vole site at Soham Lode required emergency re-lining of the perched section of the reach (approximately 600m) Following the emergency works, Salix were awarded a Design & Build contract on a competitive bid process…

River Tywi

River Tywi Pipeline Protection

Salix were awarded a design and build contract to prevent further erosion of a section of the riverbank and reinstate a scour hole threatening a high pressure gas pipeline on the River Tywi.

Brushwood faggot/fascine

Brushwood Faggots

Salix produce a range of brushwood faggots (fascines) for use in rivers, canals and lakes. We use brushwood from sustainable sources and can supply various timber types including Ash, Hazel and Willow.