Project will help wildlife and paddlers on River Dee in Llangollen
A multi-million pound project to transform the River Dee will not only help the environment and threatened species, it will also help improve safety for paddle sports in Llangollen.
The LIFE Dee River project is a £6.8 million scheme to restore the river and its surroundings back to its natural state.
Recently, Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes visited Llangollen to see the latest developments for himself.
Mr Baynes met Joel Rees-Jones, the project manager from Natural Resources Wales, to learn more about the developments taking place.
As part of the project, restoration work is taking place on the two weirs in Llangollen, with the aim of improving conditions for threatened species such as Atlantic salmon, sea lamprey and river lamprey. By minimising the impact of physical barriers in the river it will help the species build sustainable populations, Mr Baynes was told.
He also heard that he development has also provided an opportunity to help improve safety for paddle sports, as well as improving the stone ramp used for access to the River Dee near the downstream weir.
The LIFE Dee River Project has also been working on similar projects across the River Dee catchment.
The project also focuses on in-river restoration work, such as work recently completed on Brynkinalt Estate.
Iain Hill-Trevor of Brynkinalt praised the scheme, saying that the boost for the habitat of the river was really exciting.
Mr Rees-Jones said: “The LIFE project is providing us with a great opportunity to work with partners across the Dee catchment to improve the conditions within the river for the species and habitats found there. We look forwards to seeing and sharing the positive results from the interventions carried out.”
Mr Baynes added: “My recent visit to the LIFE Dee River Project was a wonderful insight into how the restoration work is going to benefit the local area and it was great to hear from Joel about the exciting developments taking place. This is a positive step forward in ensuring conditions are improved for threatened species and will also improve safety for users of the river.”
The project is supported by the European Union LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity Programme, Environment Agency, Snowdonia National Park Authority and Dwr Cymru.
Along the length of the river the project will fully or partially remove five weirs in the Dee and tributaries and install fish passage solutions in a further six weirs.
