A stretch of a rare type of river found in the United Kingdom has been restored thanks to a multi-year conservation effort — one of the largest in the country.
The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has restored a 4.3-mile stretch of the River Ash, according to the BBC.
The project took nearly eight years to complete. It will restore wetlands, prevent future flooding, and "help to maintain the ecosystem balance," as Sarah Perry, river catchment coordinator for the trust, told the outlet.
Among the restoration work was the creation of "wiggles," the naturally occurring bends and curves. These are usually removed to create an artificially straightened river.
The trust also raised the riverbed using over 3,000 tons of gravel. It added 300 woody debris features to provide shelters for fish and other wildlife.
"It's rewarding to see such an ambitious project completed in Hertfordshire – the level of scale and impact is really exciting," Perry told the BBC.
She continued: "This project not only provides hope for nature, but healthier rivers are good for us too; they carry fresh water, protect us from floods, help to maintain the ecosystem balance that we rely on, plus they support our wellbeing."
The River Ash is a chalk river, a unique type of river found in only 210 locations worldwide. 160 of them are in England, according to the Guardian.
Chalk rivers or streams are unique because they originate from chalk aquifers. Its crystal clear water allows a diverse blend of plants, fish, and animals to thrive, per The Wildlife Trusts.
But chalk rivers, like so many other habitats around the world, have been threatened by human activities. Construction, over-drawing of groundwater, pollution, and extreme weather events driven by rising global temperatures have all harmed rivers.
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Definitely 👍 Restoring this river is an important step in the ongoing global efforts to maintain biodiversity and preserve our planet.
As Conservation International shared, biodiversity matters because it impacts our natural world around us and our economy and culture.
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