Last updated: October 2021
The River Alt Restoration Project at Stonebridge started in 2013 with an initial goal to remove culverts in order to create re-naturalised watercourses and maintain watercourses easier. It also involved the removal of rubbish and other obstructions to reduce the risk of flooding in the wider catchment (Reference 2). The project then evolved with a bigger goal to divert River Alt into a new 900-meter long linear park named Alt Meadows. Relevant engineering works were employed in the area. In addition, accessible paths and meadow, wetland and woodland habitats were created. The park was also linked into surrounding areas (like housing, shops, schools, etc.). The project benefits include the expected increase in wildlife biodiversity and improved water quality and flood protection (Reference 1, 3). The project was led The Cass Foundation, in partnership with the Community Forest Trust, with funding from DEFRA’s Catchment Restoration Fund (via Environmental Agency) and Liverpool City Council. The Foundation remains responsible for maintaining Alt Meadows on behalf of the city council (Reference 3).
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
The project aimed to create a new public open green space and opening up the River Alt. Issues that project aimed to address are (reference 1):
Poor river morphology;
High flood risk within extensive built-up areas and agricultural land;
Fly-tipping and debris removal causes an ongoing maintenance issue and a risk to the blockage and failure of culverted river sections;
Presence of invasive species including Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam;
A closed, man-made, culvert river section creating a poor environment for biodiversity;
Isolated green spaces and poor habitat connectivity;
The need for meaningful engagement with the community;
Derelict, underused, neglected and brownfield land blighting a deprived area of the city.
Implementation activities
1- Channel excavation was done to help minimize erosion and enhance habitat diversity, significant increase in flood storage capacity within the river corridor and reduction of flood risk elsewhere in the catchment. (Reference 1)
2 . A mosaic of habitats was created including extensive planting of the riparian and marginal wetland (Reference 1)
3. Invasive weed species were managed (Reference 1)
4. Access for easy maintenance of the watercourse, including vegetation was provided (Reference 1)
5. Engagement activities like public consultation, 'walk and talk' sessions and conservation volunteering and training among many others were conducted (Reference 1)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
- Capacity building
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Clear and control invasive alien species
- Restore ecological connectivity
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Private foundation/trust
- Researchers/university
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Cass Foundation led and managed the project. It remains responsible for maintaining the built riverside park, Alt Meadows (Reference 1, 3)
There is a partnership with Community Forest Trust, with funding from DEFRA's Catchment Restoration Fund (via the Environment Agency) and Liverpool City Council.
Staff and students from the University of Liverpool, Professor Janet Hooke, are involved in monitoring and studying the success of the project.
Local people/ community are involved in volunteering activities.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust has the role of a maintenance contractor.
(Reference 3)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project was implemented to support the delivery of improved water quality to meet the objectives under the EU Water Quality Framework Directive (Reference 2))
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(It will contribute to several Liverpool and Environment Agency strategic priorities and plan: River Basin Management Plan (Reference 1))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The River Alt Restoration Project will contribute to several Liverpool and Environment Agency strategic priorities and plans including the River Basin Management Plan, the City’s Green Infrastructure Strategy and Flood Risk Management Plan. The site is also located within one of the City’s priority Strategic Investment Areas (Reference 1). )
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased number of protection areas
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- Attraction of business and investment
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
References
1. The Cass Foundation. (2013). CRF project Briefing Note River Alt. Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.
2. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (2015). Catchment Restoration Fund: Environment Agency Final Annual Report 2014-2015. Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.
3. The Cass Foundation. (no date). Alt Meadows. Available at: Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.
4. The Cass Foundation (no date). About us. Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.
2. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (2015). Catchment Restoration Fund: Environment Agency Final Annual Report 2014-2015. Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.
3. The Cass Foundation. (no date). Alt Meadows. Available at: Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.
4. The Cass Foundation (no date). About us. Available at: Source link. Accessed 16 July 2020.