Willow better than plastic!

Many people believe that synthetic materials must be stronger, lighter in weight and more flexible than natural materials and that if something from nature has not been replaced by a manmade product yet, then it’s only matter of time.  But this isn’t the case for willow. 

Used for hundreds of years, willow would have been grown extensively in many parts of England from the Somerset Levels to the Norfolk Broads.  It was traditionally used (and still is) for making baskets, screens, coracles (traditional boats) and even for putchers (a specially woven fish trap).

Lovin’ the newts and snakes

2013 was the first year that we got fully involved with the actual trapping of newts and reptiles on the mitigation projects that we work on. Previously we would put up the fencing to enclose the development site and only come back later to maintain it. Last year we undertook the trapping programmes on 5 projects and met and saved a lot of beautiful amphibians and reptiles in the process.

Major landslip is transformed

Newly installed willow spiling

Our client had suffered a serious flood on his land which had caused a major landslip.  The aim of our work was to provide toe protection within the brook and reform and restabilise the slope.

This was a major project that involved regrading the bank and soil nailing at the top of the bank.  Silt was retained using Sedimat matting installed in the stream bed at the first riffle downstream.  We were able to remove the Sedimat and leave it to decompose, on completion of stone rip-rap and removal of the landslip material.

Water voles in decline

The latest news from the National UK Water Vole Database is not good for our furry friends.  The population is taking a nose dive - down by one fifth this summer.

What can we do to help?  There is plenty that could be done for this species and the health of our waterways in general: create and maintain large-scale, good-quality habitat; reintroduce water voles in specific areas; control the mink population (an invasive species which has become a huge problem for water voles in some areas).