RSPB, Howgill Beck, Geltsdale Nature Reserve

Howgill Beck originates 3km upstream of Stagsike, on Cold Fell. The watercourse runs through the Bruithwaite Forest, an area planted with 110,000 trees between 2004 and 2005. Now the trees are maturing, we have the opportunity to create some wetland habitat (including wet woodland) enhancing biodiversity in and around that stretch of the beck.

The stream is fast flowing, and the channel is uniform in width. It does have some meanders, but many natural online features are missing from the system. Cobbles are of a similar size and there are few places where the water can connect to the floodplain in times of peak flow.

Over the course of this 4 week project the creation of multiple off-line features including scrapes, ponds and ditch blocks were excavated to improve wetland areas, slowing the flow of water as it leaves the fell before it reaches the beck itself and increasing the amount of wetland habitat which will benefit a number of species.

Inset berms were excavated to widen small sections of the existing channel to encourage natural processes which was very quickly evident. Berms are low level shelves constructed in a river channel to reinstate the natural bending of the river and create a low inset floodplain. This will help to manage increased water levels locally, as well as create bank-side habitat diversity to provide a more natural width depth ratio generally, as opposed to the current incised channel.

Boulder rapids were added to the watercourse using stone gathered within the project area. Used to regulate water flow and increase the diversity of the channel and allowing finer gravels to accumulate. Turbulent water shapes the river bed as well as oxygenating the water.

Due to the importance of adders in the vicinity (hibernacula), only pre-designated routes through the bracken were used. Adders are protected by law under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended),and are classified as a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework (formerly the UK Biodiversity Action Plan / BAP) and Section 41 (S41) of the 2006 Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act. Over the medium-long term, the proposals are considered to be of significant benefit to adders – with complex mosaics of habitat (including wetlands) offering excellent habitat and increased food resources. However, the short-term disturbance associated with wetland creation works (involving the use of heavy plant) does present some risk. As such, the RSPB developed a suitably precautionary approach to the works, to minimise the potential for adverse impacts on the existing adder population.