River Avon and Gorge

The River Avon corridor runs through the heart of the West of England, and is a priority area for nature recovery due to its role as an ecological corridor and the importance of the river's freshwater environment, which hosts a number of rare and scarce species.

Reconnection to the floodplain where feasible, enhancing riparian habitat, improving fish passage through the river, and managing invasive species (particularly Himalayan balsam) are all relevant priorities here.

The Avon Gorge SAC contains a number of endemic and rare species, and the priority here is to protect these species and ensure continued good management of the Gorge. 

 

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Priorities for nature recovery

Delivering the priorities for nature recovery is particularly important in the mapped Focus Areas for Nature Recovery. ‘Landscape recovery’ measures, which will have the biggest impact on nature recovery, are particularly relevant in these Focus Areas.

The role of rivers and streams as ecological corridors through the landscape is enhanced, with diverse riparian habitat that benefits a range of species, stabilises banks, captures nutrients, regulates water temperature and provides vital shade during warm weather.

Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Create and manage riparian buffer strips (of 5-50m, depending on the size of the watercourse, with larger buffers providing greater benefits) of vegetation including trees alongside rivers and streams. This will improve river ecology, create natural corridors, reduce pollution reaching rivers, and provide natural flood management Farmers and landowners River Landscape recovery
Manage riparian vegetation to ensure a mosaic of light levels along the river, aiming for a 60/40 ratio of light to shade, and a dense understory to enhance the slow of runoff and increase infiltration rates Farmers and landowners River Landscape recovery
Coppice bankside trees to increase their longevity and health Farmers and landowners River Environmental stewardship
Active management of poaching by cattle along rivers, which would also help to reduce nutrient load into rivers. This may be achieved through the installation of fencing where it is appropriate and compatible with flood risk maintenance activities.  Farmers and landowners River Sustainable farming



Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Manage existing wood pasture and parkland to maximise their value to wildlife and ensure continued survival of mature and veteran trees Farmers and landowners Countryside Landscape recovery
Carry out specialist tree surgery as needed to extend the lives of veteran and ancient trees Farmers and landowners Countryside Landscape recovery



There is more woodland that is managed and in good ecological condition, including minimising the impact of ash dieback and reducing grazing pressure on sensitive woodlands from deer.

Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Improve the management of existing areas of woodland for wildlife, following the principles set out in the Forest of Avon Plan Farmers and landowners Woodland Landscape recovery
Reintroduce coppicing as a form of woodland management that benefits wildlife while potentially providing woodland products such as fuel  Farmers and landowners Woodland Landscape recovery
Open up rides and glades in existing woodland to develop ecotones and scrubby areas that better support a wider range of wildlife. Where appropriate, use new open woodland areas caused by ash dieback to create new wood pastures or glades Farmers and landowners Woodland Landscape recovery
Consider introducing grazing animals in larger woodlands to create a more dynamic ecology and enable habitat succession. Farmers & landowners Woodland Landscape recovery
Take measures to reduce deer grazing in woodlands, such as putting up deer fencing, to reduce their negative impact on woodland ecology due to overgrazing.  Farmers & landowners Woodland Environmental stewardship
Leave deadwood in situ to provide habitat for a variety of species including fungi, lichens, invertebrates, mosses, bats and birds. Farmers & landowners Woodland Environmental stewardship
Periodically thin ‘high forest’ type woodlands (tall trees with little shrub layer) to maintain structural diversity and a varied age structure where appropriate Farmers & landowners Woodland Environmental stewardship
Avoid placing game bird pens in woodlands with a high botanical value Farmers & landowners Woodland N/A
Ensure public access to and recreational activities within woodlands minimises impacts on woodland ecology, including clearly marked paths.  Farmers & landowners Woodland N/A
Only fell trees affected by ash dieback when there is a material safety risk, a clear future safety risk, or as part of normal silvicultural operations, and leave deadwood in place where possible for the benefit of wildlife Farmers & landowners Woodland Environmental stewardship
Where there is a diverse mix of tree species present, allow natural regeneration to replace trees lost through ash dieback. Where natural regeneration is not possible, replace trees lost through ash dieback with a suitable mix of native broadleaved species Farmers & landowners Woodland Environmental stewardship
Adopt ecologically sound forestry practices in woodlands used for timber production. This can include continuous cover management regimes that attempt to mimic natural processes, and integration of areas and corridors of native broadleaved woodland in coniferous forests Farmers & landowners Woodland Environmental stewardship
Include fire and fuel breaks and/or fire belts in woodland to reduce the risk of wildfires, and ensure woodlands are resilient to climate change in the future Farmers & landowners Woodland N/A



There are more waterbodies that are in good ecological status and support thriving populations of fish and other freshwater wildlife.

Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Create a sediment pond or trap to provide an area where muddy run-off from fields or tracks is allowed to pond, so that sediment will settle out before entering watercourses Farmers and landowners Countryside Sustainable farming
Reduce run-off of pollutants from farmland through the use of best practice in applying fertiliser, manure and slurry Farmers and landowners Countryside Sustainable farming
Establish a buffer strip (which can contain long grasses, trees, and shrubs) of 4-12m on field boundaries or runoff channels. This can reduce nutrient and pollutant runoff into watercourses and provide habitat for wildlife Farmers and landowners Countryside Sustainable farming
Improve management of manure and slurry to reduce pollution (e.g. roofing manure storage or manure storage pads) Farmers and landowners Countryside Sustainable farming
Reduce the frequency of continuous and intermittent point source pollution from sewage discharges Businesses N/A N/A
Reduce the quantity of pollutants entering the freshwater environment from wastewater treatment works Businesses N/A N/A
Use constructed wetlands in wastewater treatment to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the freshwater environment, while providing wetland habitat Businesses N/A N/A



Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Humane management of the non-native grey squirrel, potentially including the use of contraceptives to reduce breeding success Farmers and landowners Woodland N/A
Humanely manage the impact of populations of the non-native muntjac deer, whose grazing can have severe negative impacts on woodland ecology, at the landscape level Farmers and landowners Countryside N/A



More rivers are reconnected to their floodplains and floodplain wetlands are created to allow natural erosion and silt deposition within the floodplain, especially where this would provide benefits to flood management.

Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Reconnection of rivers to their floodplain, allowing floodwater to spill naturally onto adjacent land, and restoration of wetland habitat within the floodplain Farmers and landowners Countryside Landscape recovery
Create or improve management of floodplain grazing marsh or floodplain meadows, including permitting seasonal flooding Farmers and landowners Countryside Landscape recovery



Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Protect beavers from recreational disturbance and persecution, while managing conflict with other land uses where it arises Farmers and landowners N/A N/A
Protect crops from beaver activity by using fencing that prevents beavers accessing the land to forage Farmers and landowners Countryside Sustainable farming
Make a natural space of 20 metres or more for beavers alongside the river edge, planting native species such as willow and aspen. This will reduce the likelihood of beavers foraging elsewhere on your land Farmers and landowners Countryside Landscape recovery



Endemic and rare species in the Avon Gorge, including endemic species of whitebeam, Bristol Onion, Bristol rock cress, Honewort, and the silky wave moth are protected.

Measures Most relevant to Land type Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Continue to protect endemic and rare species in the Avon Gorge, including managing and removing invasive species in the Gorge, such as Cotoneaster, and preventing encroachment of scrub Local Government N/A N/A
Manage recreational pressure on the Avon Gorge where it may threaten the Gorge’s unique ecology Local Government

Businesses		 N/A N/A



Relevant priority species

  • Atlantic Salmon
  • Bristol Onion
  • Bristol Rock-cress
  • Bristol Whitebeam
  • Brown/Sea Trout
  • Eel
  • European Beaver
  • Honewort
  • Round-leaved Whitebeam
  • Scarce chaser dragonfly
  • Service-tree
  • Silky Wave
  • Wilmott's Whitebeam