The River Yeo Catchment Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Project (RYCCCARP) has been designed by the Yeo Rivers Community Trust (YRCT) to deliver a range of interventions at a catchment scale which will help to mitigate the negative impacts of the climate change and ecological crises. The project is being delivered via a phased programme. Phase 1 was a pilot phase with works focussed on the development of a stakeholder network in one subcatchment and the implementation of interventions on two case study sites. Phase 2 is intended to scale up the project for delivery across the Upper Yeo Catchment and Phase 3 will further scale up delivery to the entire catchment.
Multiple benefits will be generated through the implementation of a comprehensive suite of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) and Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in a co-ordinated and holistic programme, it is envisaged that multiple environmental, social and economic benefits will be achieved and sustained in the medium to long term. Fundamental to the delivery of the project is the development and maintenance of an extensive network of stakeholders who are willing to make a long term commitment to the implementation and management of project interventions.
The project has five main elements:
- Stakeholder engagement and network maintenance
- Stakeholder education and guidance
- Data collection/survey to identify and design appropriate interventions (including
obtaining funding where relevant) - Implementation of interventions (including obtaining permissions and landowner
agreements where appropriate) - Monitoring, evaluation and management of interventions
The YRCT will actively deliver all five elements with stakeholder and specialist contractor inputs
where appropriate.
The YRCT will actively deliver all five elements with stakeholder and specialist contractor inputs
where appropriate.
YRCT inputs to Project Elements
- In Phase 1 YRCT successfully facilitated the formation of a landowner group, the Wriggle River Improvement Group (WRIG) to enable landowners to work together to implement interventions in a mutually beneficial and co-ordinated way throughout the subcatchment from headwaters to confluence. The YRCT is providing full administrative, technical and practical delivery support to the group which will act as a role model for further groups to establish across the Yeo Catchment. The YRCT will continue the stakeholder engagement process and work to maintain the established network.
- Stakeholder education is a crucial component of the project and includes landowners, organisations (e.g. Parish Councils, businesses and community groups), schools and the wider community. This will continue in future phases and be expanded, especially in urban areas, e.g. Yeovil, Sherborne, Yetminster and Ilchester.
- The YRCT will undertake a range of surveys to inform the design of interventions, e.g. ecological surveys, water quality sampling, hydro-morphological surveys, hydraulic /flood modelling, protected species surveys, etc. The YRCT will also apply for and obtain all permissions and consents to allow the implementation of interventions.
- The YRCT will identify and apply for funding either on an individual basis or collectively where opportunity arises. This may include Landscape Recovery Scheme funding, National Lottery Heritage Fund, grants from statutory bodies, Forestry Commission EWCO funding, private grant providers, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) funds or local authority levies.
- The YRCT will seek to include undertaking evaluation, monitoring and management of interventions where relevant, e.g. to meet grant conditions, monitoring for BNG purposes or for providing data for show casing.
- An integral part of phase 2 is completion of a catchment wide survey to identify pressures and impacts and map opportunities for mitigation (Yeo Catchment Impact and Opportunity Strategy).
- The YRCT is also looking for opportunities to acquire a significant land holding (one or more sites) where large wetland(s)/wet woodland/woodland can be created. One of these sites would be sought in the vicinity of Yeovil to provide a wildlife/conservation site within easy reach of both Yeovil and Sherborne to provide a new amenity/recreational/educational resource.
Examples of Interventions delivered at Hilfield Friary and Lyon’s Gate Pilot Sites
Hilfield Friary: Enhancement of four ponds to provide additional attenuation and enhanced aquatic habitats. Creation of one new attenuation pond and three swales providing new habitats and combined flood attenuation of approximately 80 cubic metres.
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- Pond cascade Mar 23
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- Swales Mar 23
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- Attenuation pond Mar 23
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- Pond cascade Oct 23
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- Swales Oct 23
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- Attenuation pond Oct 23
Lyon’s Gate: Surface water runoff flow pathway barriers using in-situ tree management arisings; Restoration of two silted ponds with installation of a leaky dam, meandering channel and backwaters/scrapes in one and desilting and reprofiling in the other.
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- Woody material being cut onsite for NFM features
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- Flow path barrier
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- learners from a2a digging new NFM channels
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- New meandering channel & backwaters
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- Leaky dam for attenuation storage
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- De-silted & re-profiled pond
These small scale interventions provide examples to inform other landowners and can be diversified and upscaled to deliver across the catchment. They are also being enhanced where appropriate and closely monitored to provide performance data.
RYCCCARP Target Impacts
Climate change and ecological impacts which the project NCS/NBS interventions aim to mitigate include:
- Water Quantity – flooding/drought; surface water management; water conservation
- Water Quality – management of nutrients and key pollutants (point source and diffuse); creation/enhancement of habitats beneficial to improving water quality
- Habitat degradation/loss
- Reduced biodiversity
- Soil erosion/degradation
- Carbon Storage
- Degraded ecosystem services
- Species conservation
RYCCCARP Interventions
The range of NCS and NBS interventions available for delivery within the project are extensive and will be tailored to suit each location within the catchment as informed by baseline surveys and engagement with landowners. Interventions will include:
- Natural Flood Management (NFM) interventions, e.g. flow pathway barriers, leaky dams/hinged trees, ponds, swales, bunds, wildflower riparian buffer strips, reconnection with floodplain, etc.
- Modified land management, e.g. changing crop type, sowing cover crops, cross-contour ploughing, riparian fencing, regenerative farming, etc.
- Soil conservation
- Carbon Storage (through habitat creation)
- Improved management of existing habitats (especially Priority Habitats)
- Enhancement of existing habitats and/or extension of existing habitats (especially Priority Habitats)
- Creation of new habitats, e.g. new woodland, wood meadow/wood pasture, wet meadow, unimproved grassland, hedgerow/hedgerow with bank or ditch, wetland, lowland fen, etc.
- INNS Management
- Water conservation, e.g. rainwater harvesting, pond creation, education on efficient water use in agriculture, etc.
YRCT welcomes the involvement of all members of the community in all our activities.
As part RYCCCARP, we are currently seeking landowners, stakeholders and members of the wider community within the Yeo Catchment who would like to contribute to our research and take part in citizen science activities.