WHERE THERE’S A WILLOW THERE’S A WAY!

11/05/2005 - The materials to be used to counteract erosion on a stretch of the Afon Leri, near Aberystwyth will be environmentally-friendly, instead of a ‘hard’ engineering option such as piling or poured concrete, say Environment Agency Wales. The work is due to start at the end of this month and should be completed within a week.
The left bank of the Afon Leri, within Riverside Caravan Park (about 4 miles north of Aberystwyth) is suffering from significant erosion. The floodbank here gives some flood protection to the Caravan Park and the Agency have a river gauging station immediately downstream of where the erosion has occurred.

We will be using a natural form of bank protection called willow spiling. Willows are planted at an angle at the bottom of the bank, and are woven together. The roots of the willows will help bind the bank together, and reduce future erosion. The willow will be then be backfilled with local material to reverse the effects of the erosion.

Robert Keirle, Agency Field Monitoring and Data Officer said: ' We’re pleased to be trialing a softer engineering option using natural materials and which fit in with the overall look of the Caravan Park.'