High Energy Inter Tidal Solution on the River Exe

Exeter FAS prior to Rock Mattress Installation

Salix’s Ready-filled Rock Mattresses provided a solution to flood protection works needed on the River Exe. This quick and cheap approach provided a stable, natural embankment on the high energy intertidal river.

River Washburn Restoration

Spider Menzi Muck Excavator moving large woody debris below Swinsty Reservoir

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.

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.

Water works at Walthamstow Wetlands

walthamstow by Steve Ayers

The latest stage of the transformation of Walthamstow Wetlands into the largest wetland nature reserve in London will see the creation of new reedbeds to help preserve water quality and improve wildlife habitats.

The Spider on the River Washburn

Machine in action at Swinsty

Innovative spider machine helps restore wildlife habitats on the River Washburn. Yorkshire Water’s trial works to improve the quality of the river environment downstream of Swinsty reservoir is now well underway.

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.

Improving wildlife habitats on the Royal chalk River Babingley

Babingley chalk river restoration

With the help of Salix, the Norfolk Rivers Trust is improving fish and other river wildlife habitats on the River Babingley near Flitcham, one of only two hundred chalk rivers left in the world.

Salix to showcase innovative phosphorus removal techniques

Phosphorus is one of the most common parameters causing a watercourse to fail water quality standards set out under the Water Framework Directive. 

Lake Desilting & Environment Improved at Ifield Mill Pond

Installing Ifield boardwalk piles


Salix is working with Crawley Borough Council and Jacksons Civil Engineering to help improve Ifield Mill Pond & Water Gardens,

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.

Salix is now Europe’s largest producer of coir fibre rolls

coconut husks

Working directly with ethical, organic and sustainable suppliers in Sri Lanka, each year Salix imports hundreds of tonnes of compressed coir fibres and turns them into Coir Rolls and Pallets at its Thetford nursery in Norfolk.

Royal Parks, Serpentine Lake

Floating Islands on the Serpentine

As part of a programme of wildlife habitat improvements in the Royal Parks, Salix have been awarded a contract to create large floating wetland islands on the Serpentine Lake in London’s Hyde Park.

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.

Rock’n’Roll!

Rock rolls arrive in bundles with certified lifting straps

Rock Rolls are a robust, flexible and permanent revetment for use around reservoirs, shorelines, lake edges,

Tough Test on The Teme

River Teme 4 machines placing fill

The River Teme is a sensitive SSSI and SAC river and over 150 metres of severe bank erosion was threatening a National Grid pipeline.

Under The Boardwalk

Wetland plants in pots

Richmond Royal Parks is a walkover for Salix and Sir David Attenborough’s Volunteers.

In our last newsletter and in the piece On Her Majesty’s Service we featured the start of our works at Richmond Royal Parks,

On Her Majesty’s Service…

Plants grown in cells to order

Work has commenced at one of our most prestigious locations to date The Royal Parks.

We have been appointed as a result of being able to demonstrate our experience in working in environmentally sensitive areas whilst employing our own specialist staff and machinery to minimise the impact of our works.

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.

Pre-filled Rock Roll

Rock rolls provide an instant flexible solution to many scour problems

Rock Rolls are a robust and permanent revetment for use around reservoirs, shorelines, lake edges, streams and river banks. They are cost-effective revetments that are suitable alternatives to rock rip rap and gabions in many scour applications.

Pre-filled Rock Mattresses

Rock Mattress installed Lockwood Reservoir with built in lifting strops

Rock Mattresses are a robust and permanent revetment for use around reservoirs, shorelines, lake edges, streams and river banks. They are cost-effective revetments that are suitable alternatives to rock rip rap and gabions…

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.

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.

Floating Islands

Established wetlands at Twycross

Floating Islands provide valuable ecological habitat, fish refuge cover and water purification within open water environments. Salix supply and install floating islands and can incorporate a diverse range of flowering species to increase the habitat and aesthetic value of the project.

River Teme Restoration

River Teme Restoration

The River Teme is a sensitive SSSI and SAC river and over 150 metres of severe bank erosion was threatening a National Grid pipeline.