The Environment Agency, its partners and a group of apprentices have been bringing back the ancient art of ‘Willow Spiling’.
It's to help with flood recovery work in a traditional way - with fresh willow posts packed with tight bundles of willow branches.
The agency says that within 'a matter of weeks', the willow will begin to root and act as a living barrier protecting the river bank.
The project on the River Glenderamackin at Wilton Hill Farm near Mungrisdale has used this traditional technique to strengthen and restore a large area of riverbank that was destroyed by a landslip in the winter floods. The funding has been made possible through money raised from the Fishing Rod licence and support from local partners.
Mike Farrell, Fisheries Project Officer, Environment Agency: “The tree planting will stabilise the river and its banks and ultimately will help slow the flow of the Glenderamackin. It’s also a totally sustainable scheme as the willow will continue to grow and renew itself – in fact its lifetime will be permanent. We have also planted willow near the river bank which can be used in the future for any ongoing repair and maintenance –in other words a totally renewable solution.”
Local Willow expert, Phil Bradley from Keswick, has been able to demonstrate the skill of ‘Willow spiling’ to the apprentices from the Eden Rivers Trust.
Phil said: “The stakes we use are fresh cut willow a week old at the most which soon take root into the bank. Spiling is a living breathing solution to protecting riverbanks and once the bundles of willow settle in it doesn’t take long for them to root – we should start seeing results by late April/early May.”
The project has been funded by the Fishing Rod Licence, and contributions from the DOA and Woodland Trust.