Tree Works.
Work on the project commenced in 2015 with the felling of four trees, two for safety reasons and two to create space and stop the suppression of adjacent trees. In total between 2015 and 2019 – 12 trees have been removed either due to storm damage or to create space to allow the planting of a second generation of trees. Eight saplings have been planted in the spaces created thus ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy this tree lined section of the beck, if and when, the remaining 14 mature trees require removal.
Bank reinforcement and installation of fish ladders.
It’s two years now since the completion of this phase of the project. The bank reinforcement has successfully withstood a number of high water and fast flow events. The beck kept flowing throughout the hot dry summer of 2018 (in the dry summer of 1976 the beck dried up and the fish stock died) due to the log flow controls and the increased flow velocity engendered by the fish ladders, thus the fish survived. The ladders and other improvements have enabled the fish stocks to populate the full length of the beck for the first time since the weirs were installed many years ago. The beck is alive again. The bank sides down to the waters edge have been allowed to grow wild to encourage the growth and diversity of plant and wild life along the banks. There are positive signs that this is beginning to happen. The steps and platform area set aside for the school to allow nature studies of the becks environment will be kept clear of wild growth.