River Project is a Success
After three years the Tale Valley Trust concludes its River Tale Restoration Project, the largest project undertaken to date.
To date our largest project has been the restoration of the River Tale from its source above Broadhembury right down to the confluence with the River Otter near Cadhay House.
The project has been successfully delivered through our partnership with the Westcountry Rivers Trust, with grant support from charitable trusts, the Environment Agency, English Nature and a local Landfill Operator.
A classic “before and after” shot. Above: a typical section of the Tale showing close grazing by livestock and bankside erosion as stock enter the river to drink. Below: the same section after alternative drinking is provided and fencing is erected to exclude livestock from the river. The vegetation recovers quickly and the watercourse changes over time from a shallow muddy channel into a narrow, cool, clear channel full of fish and wildlife.
Our outputs to date include:
- The river corridor throughout the Tale Valley improved
- Every major farm visited and advice on river-friendly land management given.
- 25 integrated land management plans produced for the key landowners in the valley
- 4,683 acres (1,896 ha.) of farmland surveyed and land management advice to encourage river-friendly practices given.
- 5.5km of fencing erected to create buffer zones between modern agriculture and the vulnerable river habitat and to exclude stock from watercourses wherever possible.
- 4km of coppicing has been completed to allow light back onto the river corridor where it is needed and to create optimum conditions for the wildlife associated with the River Tale.
These photographs illustrates just a handful of sites where improvement work has gone on, this work is echoed right across the valley. The project has only been possible thanks to the
This is a typical site found on the River TaIe. Modern agriculture is carried on right up to the bankside. Through the River Tale Project farmers are encouraged to create a “buffer zone” to separate modern agriculture from the river. Where appropriate, stock fencing is erected to exclude cattle and sheep from the watercourse. This reduces erosion and helps improve water quality.
T section of river erosion is visible on the bends. Our River Adviser could give grants to the landowner to erect fencing and install ‘revetments” to help stabilise the riverbank. Ideal conditions for wildlfe - lush overhanging vegetation with shade on pools and light on the “riffles".