The AGS has been supporting Projects for Nature, an initiative that aims to restore nature recovery in the UK, since 2024. Over the past year, the association has donated almost £6,400 to the Midlands Wild Revival fund which aims to revive wildlife on the River Blythe in Warwickshire.

This article, written by Emily Reilly who works for the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, explains the progress made to the project so far and how the donation has been used.

The River Blythe Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), extending 45 km through the heart of Warwickshire, is a prime example of a river needing our help to recover from historic human interventions. Artificially straightened, widened, dredged and depleted of nature, the Blythe has suffered in the past. But now, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust are restoring natural processes and bringing wildlife back to the Blythe.

Through the Midlands Wild Revival project, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust are working with landowners, farmers and local communities to restore key sections of the river Blythe to a healthier condition. Positive interventions are being carried out to put meanders back into the Blythe, reconnect the river to its surrounding floodplain, and restore habitats for wildlife along its course.

Natural Flood Management (NFM) techniques are being used bring back features to the river that should occur naturally. Berms and flow deflectors have been installed to re-meander the river, directing water flow back into a wigglier, more variable state. Scrapes and ponds have been created on the floodplain, utilising pieces of un-farmed land to increase flood storage capacity along the river and create fantastic wetland and riparian habitat for plants, invertebrates and wading birds. Tens of thousands of native trees have been planted to enhance biodiversity, reduce soil erosion and restore hedgerows and islands of scrub for wildlife. Large areas of land have been seeded with wildflowers for pollinators.

The positive impacts of river restoration on the Blythe are being seen already, with native wading birds using newly created wetland scrapes, the shape and flow of the river improving where interventions have taken place, and newly restored hedgerows providing valuable habitat for birds and small mammals.

And this is only the start. The ultimate ambition for the Blythe is to continue to restore the river and eventually redefine Warwickshire’s landscape. To create a haven for wildlife where nature can thrive and give people the opportunity to connect with Warwickshire’s nature in ways that, for many, haven’t yet been possible. Warwickshire Wildlife Trust have been laying the groundwork for the rewilding of 750 acres of land along the Blythe since 2021 and are now taking the leap into rewilding history.

The funding support provided to the Midlands Wild Revival project from AGS is essential in helping us carry out this vision. Via Projects for Nature, a Crowdfunder initiative formed by The Council for Sustainable Business, Accenture, Defra, Natural England and the Environment Agency, donations from AGS are helping to continue Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s work to restore natural ecological processes, improve climate resilience and move towards a more biodiverse landscape along the river Blythe SSSI.

The restoration and rewilding of the river Blythe is an ongoing process, and much work remains to be done. The progress made so far is a hopeful sign of what can be achieved when communities, conservationists, and supporters work together to heal and restore our natural waterways. As the Blythe slowly returns to a more natural state through continued restoration, we can ensure that future generations of people and wildlife will benefit from this vital watercourse.

More information about the Midlands Wild Revival project can be found at: https://www.projectsfornature.com/p/midlands-wild-revival

Image credit Ian Owen 2024