Conservationists filled a 1.2km river channel, new Somerset wetland now attracts rare wildlife

A new waterscape has been created on the Holnicote Estate in Somerset (National Trust photos) Just one year after work completing a river restoration project in south-west England, researchers say the restored landscape has reduced flood peaks downstream, improved water quality and created new habitats for many species.The project took place on the National Trust's Holnicote Estate in Somerset, where a 1.2-kilometre section of the River Aller was restored using a method called Stage 0 river restoration. The approach reconnects a river with its natural floodplain instead of keeping it confined to a straight, deep channel.Instead of flowing through a single managed channel, the river now spreads naturally across wetlands, ponds and multiple smaller channels. The restoration has created around seven hectares of wetlands, covering an area larger than ten football pitches.The project was tested almost immediately after completion because England experienced its wettest 18-month period on record. According to researchers, the restored landscape handled the heavy rainfall well by storing more water on the site and slowing the amount flowing downstream.Restoring natural flowFor many years,...