Island Life Magazine Ltd April / May 2016 | Page 78

COUNTRY LIFE

Tales from the

riverbank
A

major landscape
project on the Isle of
Wight will change the
prospects for one of our most
important floodplains, writes
Richard Grogan, of Hampshire
& Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Photo: Kingfisher by Russ Valentine

78

www.visitilife.com

Most of our rivers have seen major
changes over the years, and the River Yar
on the Isle of Wight is no exception.
The Yar has been highly engineered
- deep, steep-sided river channels and
concrete weirs are just examples of
works which have prevented the river
acting more naturally. This has reduced
its ability to function in harmony with its
floodplain and as a source of clean, fresh
water. This legacy of engineering means
the Yar does not offer the full range of

good quality habitats that animals and
plants need.
The good news is that a new project
is set to change this. Over the next five
years, the Wildlife Trust will be working
with local landowners, conservation
organisations and local authorities
on the Isle of Wight to restore over 30
hectares of wetland and one kilometre
of river in the East Wight.
The work is part of the wider Isle of
Wight ‘Down to the Coast’ Landscape
Partnership, funded by the Heritage
Lottery Fund. The Wildlife Trust has
identified the eastern Yar valley as an
important area for wildlife and the
planned restoration work will benefit
a wide range of plants and animals
living in the river and its associated
wetlands. These include the water vole,
kingfisher, marsh cinquefoil, tubular
water dropwort, reed and cetti’s warbler,
cuckoo and barn owl.