A group of local volunteers have worked hard to improve the habitat of the River Lea over the last year.

The project, which is part of the Upper Lea Catchment Management Plan, focuses on the River Lea as it flows through East Lane Carpark in Wheathampstead and has seen the removal of over-shading trees, allowing more light into the river. Volunteers have also installed a series of brash berms and deflectors in order to create a more diverse and sinuous river channel.

The community led project, developed by Wheathampstead Open Space Volunteers and supported by Wheathampstead Parish Council and HMWT, shows how local groups can make a real difference to the quality of their local rivers and exemplifies the ethos of the Catchment Based Approach.

HMWT Living Rivers Officer David Johnson said "It is fantastic to see local groups getting involved and caring for their river and I would like to extend thanks to them on behalf of HMWT and the catchment partnership; we will continue to support Wheathampstead Parish Council and the local volunteer group as they continue to embrace the Catchment Based Approach."

The outcome of this project will be monitored over the next year to measure the impact on biodiversity. This will help inform the delivery of future projects on the Upper Lea Catchment Management Plan as volunteers and the parish council continue to work to improve their precious local resource.

Brash build outs on River Lea

Design by LTD Design Consultants and build by Garganey Consulting.