Severn Vale Restoration
Severn Rivers Trust is delivering a new multi-year restoration project across the Severn Vale, working with landowners to enhance river corridors and restore floodplain habitat along tributaries and the main River Severn.
Over the lifetime of the project, we aim to improve more than 5 km of riparian habitat and restore over 4 hectares of floodplain, helping rivers function more naturally while supporting wildlife and reducing flood risk.
Where is this work happening?
The project will focus on rivers and floodplains across the Severn Vale, including areas around the River Chelt, smaller Gloucester tributaries, and sections of the main River Severn.
These rivers flow through a landscape of farmland, floodplain meadows and rural communities. Restoring natural processes in these areas can deliver benefits both for wildlife and for people living downstream.
What are we doing?
Working alongside local landowners, Severn Rivers Trust will deliver a range of practical restoration measures designed to improve river health and reconnect rivers with their floodplains. These may include:
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Enhancing riparian corridors to create healthier riverbank habitats.
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Restoring and managing floodplain habitat to improve water storage and biodiversity.
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Supporting natural flood management measures that slow the flow of water through the landscape.
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Working with farmers and land managers to develop solutions that benefit both nature and productive land use.
By restoring these natural processes we can help rivers store water during periods of heavy rainfall, reducing pressure on communities downstream while creating richer habitats for wildlife.
Why this work matters
Rivers across the Severn catchment face increasing pressures from climate change, flooding and habitat loss. Many floodplains have been disconnected from their rivers over time, reducing their ability to hold water and support wildlife.
Restoring floodplain habitat helps rivers behave more naturally. Water can spread safely across the landscape during high flows, sediments can settle, and wetland habitats can develop that support a wide range of species.
The project also has strong potential to support species in decline, including birds such as curlew, which rely on healthy wet grasslands and floodplain environments.
Get involved
We are currently engaging with landowners across the Severn Vale and identifying sites for future restoration work.
If you own or manage land along a river or floodplain in this area and would like to explore opportunities to improve habitats, store water in the landscape, or support wildlife recovery, we would love to hear from you. Please email matt.byrne@severnriverstrust.com if you’re interested.
Looking ahead
This project has the potential to deliver lasting change across the Severn Vale.
In the coming years we expect to see rivers reconnecting with their floodplains, healthier riverbanks developing along restored corridors, and landscapes that are better able to support wildlife while reducing flood risk for local communities.
