For the last few months I have been meeting with colleagues under the auspices of the RAW project. Rewilding Annan Water (RAW) is an exciting new venture with an ambition to see a more ecologically balanced, natural and functioning River Annan and riparian corridor. Essentially the project is based around the idea of ecological restoration rather than strict rewildling, however the objectives are similar – a connected, healthy, biodiverse, resilient and attractive landscape. The project is the brainchild of Peter Dreghorn and involves key partners such as the River Annan Trust, Dumfries & Galloway Council, National Trust for Scotland, Borders Forest Trust and the Solway Centre. We are currently in the process of putting a plan together in preparation for a funding bid.
It is widely accepted that many of our river corridors display little resemblance to natural fluvial systems given thousands of years of agriculture, land-use change and of course industrialisation. A great deal of this modification has involved straightening, widening, narrowing, deepening, damming, diverting and so on. One of the most fundamental modifications has been the removal or alteration of natural vegetation which provides a vital corridor for flora and fauna, stabilises drainage basins and enhances the ecological quality of the water environment. Trees, in particular, are lacking along the River Annan’s corridor and the RAW project aims to encourage land owners to plant land adjacent to the river with carefully selected native species. The RAW project aims to hold a few on-site demonstration days in the coming months to show the difference in species diversity and abundance between ‘open bank’ and ‘closed canopy’ locations. It is hoped that these events will stimulate interest in the project. Keep an eye for future developments via the Solway Centre blog.
Dr Steven Gillespie