If I live by the river
Look after your bit of riverbank for wildlife
If you are lucky enough to live by the river and own a section of riverbank you can make a difference to the health of the river by looking after your riverbank with wildlife in mind.
Your river can be natural and still be strong. Natural materials and soft engineering techniques still mean your garden and home can be protected and also mean that all the plants and animals that rely on the river but don't live in the middle have a place to live too. These include plants living at the edge like irises and animals that need plants growing out of the water like dragonflies.
Remember that however you manage your riverbank you need to keep the Environment Agency informed if you install any new structures or features in or by the river.
Contact the Environment Agency at:
- Enquires@environment-agency.gov.uk
- Telephone 08708 506506
Don't put your garden clippings into the river - they can cause problems by spreading and establishing downstream where they are not wanted.
Report anything unusual you see on the river. This might be good things like interesting wildlife, or bad things like pollution or fly tipping.
