Glaisdale Beck river management workshop

In late March, the Wild Trout trust held a river management workshop at Glaisdale Beck (North Yorkshire Moors National Glaosdale beck Park) to demonstrate the importance of natural bankside and in-channel structure habitat and how it can be appropriately managed. All too often these features are over-managed and tidied by angling groups and riparian managers, leaving many rivers with a lack of low cover, trailing branches and little woody material within the river – all of which are vital fish habitat features.

Each of the two days consisted of a river walk highlighting the benefits of these habitats and covering how best to retain and promote such features with minimal impact upon other river and adjacent land users. Practical demonstrations of enhancing river margin habitat through laying saplings into the channel and how woody brash material can be employed to reduce bank erosion rates and enhance habitat were also undertaken.

The workshops were attended by over 20 individuals, from a range of backgrounds, including local angling clubs and conservation volunteers.

For more information on techniques to manage habitat in high energy rivers, see our Upland Rivers Habitat Manual and Habitat Management sheets either to download or buy.

And watch our How To’ videos for demonstrations of some of the techniques.