This site on the River Anton in the centre of Andover was origanally improved during the development of the new ASDA superstore. The intention was to narrow the slow, overwidened channel using coir rolls which would also create a marginal zone to provide habitat for native chalk streem species. Unfortunately due to bad design the initial installation of coir rolls failed.

 

 

 

Urban areas are often a safe haven for ducks geese and other waterfowl due to the abundance of food and protection from predators. This makes restoration projects involving plants very difficult because they rarely get a chance to establish as seeds and new shoots are the most attractive morsels for hungry competing birds.

 

Aquamaintain were asked to come up with a solution to reverse the effects of the failed coir rolls and re establish the marginal zone. The design included re-colonising the failed area with established local provenance coir pallets, protected from wild fowl with purpose built cages. The Channel was also naturalised using hazel faggots to reduce width and encourage deposition of silt into the newly planted marginal zone.

 

To find out more about the improvement of the River Anton, click the link below.