Over 18,000 trees planted under UK’s North East program at £1.3m

05 / 08 / 2021

By Marwa Nassar - -

More than 18,000 trees were planted over the past year as part of a £1.3m program of work to improve the environment in the UK’s North East part.

Almost 50 projects have been completed across the North East over the past year. More than 15km of river has been improved and 1,000 hectares of habitat created or improved. In addition, 10 lakes were given a boost for fishing while 9 fish and 5 eel passage projects were completed.

The figures are released during the Environment Agency’s #WaterWarriors campaign, which launched last week and urges people to consider how their actions can affect water quality and take action to protect blue spaces for everyone.

The North East Environment Program is managed and delivered by the Environment Agency working mainly in partnership with government backed Catchment Partnerships, bringing together river and wildlife trusts, local authorities and other organizations to improve the environment.

There were 43 partners involved in this year’s £1.3 million program, contributing £461,000 in funding.

Key projects progressed in 2020/21 included identifying actions to reduce the growth of macroalgae at coastal streams at Holy Island, Northumberland, which poses a risk to key protected habitats and internationally important wildlife.

The projects also included a study carried out and design options produced for ecological enhancements at Blyth estuary, Northumberland.

The projects also included improvements across the Northumberland Coquet catchments to reduce pollution run off from land, which has seen 3,500 trees planted, thousands of meters of new fencing installed and advice given to 150 landowners.

The projects included the completion of a two-year project to improve fish and eel passage on the River Aln, Northumberland, along with restoration involving 2,450 trees planted and work with 100 landowners to reduce pollution run off from land.

The projects also fructified into planting almost 7,000 trees and hedgerows along a 1km stretch of the Upper Ouseburn, north of Newcastle, managed to provide habitat and reduce sediment pollution into the river.

The projects also included innovative estuary improvements at pilot sites on the Tyne and Wear, which includes floating ecosystems.

The final year of a four-year woodland restoration project in Durham has seen 4,875 trees planted, creating 3.3 hectrares of new woodland.

The projects also included improved access and the installation of a new classroom to improve coaching and boost family fishing opportunities at Tilery Pond at Hartlepool.

The projects also comprised improvements at Langley Beck on the River Tees catchment near Staindrop, included improved connectivity to the beck for fish and addressing diffuse pollution issues.

Catherine Saxon, North East Area Director for the Environment Agency, said “From removing obstructions to allow fish to move further up our watercourses and reach their natural spawning grounds, to interventions to reduce the amount of sediment entering our rivers, and innovative techniques to create floating ecosystems in our estuaries, the environment in the North East is a far richer place following the delivery of last year’s projects.”

“The Environment Agency’s #WaterWarriors campaign is highlighting the work our teams do on a daily basis to monitor and improve water quality. Working together in partnership means we can share expertise and deliver more for less and these successes would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of all those involved.”

But it’s important to remember that individual actions really do count. Small actions can have a damaging impact on water quality and there are some simple steps can all be taken to make a difference.