There is wide variability in the river restoration work undertaken throughout the British Isles. This makes it difficult to assess (a) how restoration is contributing towards ecosystem structure and functioning (and therefore ecosystem health), and (b) whether river restoration is benefiting habitats and species (e.g. those protected under the Habitats Directive) while also enhancing a range of ecosystem services such as the maintenance of sustainable fisheries and reducing flood risk.
The three main objectives of Phase 1 of this work were (a) to review the link between river processes and biodiversity, aimed at gathering evidence of the benefits of restoring natural processes for river, riparian and floodplain biodiversity; (b) to describe the main causes of physical habitat damage in rivers in the UK and Ireland; and (c) to assess the current status of river restoration in the UK and Ireland. The main output from this Phase will be a report that will interpret the technical information from Phase 1 and make it available to a wide audience, including non-specialists. The report will help to promote the benefits of river restoration and will be used to develop the third and final phase of the work.
The focus of the project will be the benefits of river restoration for nature conservation (e.g. for habitats and species listed in the Habitats Directive) as well as for implementing the EC Water Framework Directive, the Floods Directive, and for meeting other national, regional, or local needs.
The project has the following specific objectives:
(a) To record in detail the discussion, conclusions and recommendations from an expert workshop (funded by IUCN NCUK) held to consider the report from Phase 1.
(b) To undertake a review of the following areas of work not covered in Phase 1:
(i) An analysis of the governance structures for river restoration in different parts of the UK and their advantages or disadvantages. This should discuss the extent to which a strategic, top-down approach is needed (maybe at the catchment scale) compared with a reach-scale, bottom-up approach. It should examine also the differences in restoration planning and procedures needed at different places in the river continuum (headwaters, middle reaches and lower reaches).
(ii) An analysis of the political and practical barriers to river restoration (e.g. land-ownership, conflicts with hydropower needs or built environment, diverse views of river restoration held by different organisations and individuals) and suggestions for overcoming these.
(iii) A brief review of the economics of river restoration, linked with the benefits of restoration to ecosystem services.
(iv) Proposals for increasing public awareness of the importance of river restoration.
(c) To combine the technical results from Phase 1, the conclusions from the IUCN expert workshop, and the new review material described in b(i-iv) above, and to make this information accessible to a wide audience.
(d) To provide a set of proposals for a programme of river restoration work in Phase 3.