Latest phase of river catchment restoration phase completed

This important phase of River South Esk Catchment Partnership’s Nature Restoration Fund’s (RSECP) project has seen a historically straightened 250m stretch of the March Burn in the upper River South Esk catchment at Glen Clova re-meandered and two-hectares of land returned to a more natural state.

The burn’s realignment has been guided by surveys and modelling which identified an historical river channel. Artificial flood embankments have also been removed and the channel realigned to encourage natural river processes.

The burn itself has been provided with a generous buffer zone to allow for the sideways erosion and deposition of natural river materials. This has been fenced off from livestock to allow the growth of vegetation and for native trees to take root and grow.

Dee Ward, of Rottal Estate, said: “I am really pleased that this project has now completed having been a number of years in planning and development.

“It is the second burn we’ve re-wiggled now on Rottal and forms part of wider ecosystem and nature recovery plans we have for the estate alongside, in the short term, 30 hectares of wetland restoration and 700 hectares of native tree planting and natural regeneration.”

RSECP’s overall plan is restoring the river and its habitats in numerous ways, including riverside tree planting, wetland creation and protecting the hill and mountain environments to nature’s benefit. It will simultaneously strengthen the area’s resilience to environmental challenges set by the changing climate.

In 2024, the project, which is aimed at restoring habitats in the River South Esk catchment, received the backing of more than £1.4m from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

RSECP is a broad and cross-sector collective which has been delivering project work since 2010. Core partners and landowners are working together to deliver the largest project to date, of which the March Burn forms one of its key elements.

Partners are Forestry and Land Scotland; Esk Rivers and Fisheries Trust; RSPB Scotland; Cairngorms National Park Authority; Angus Council and landowners Rottal Estate and Clova Estates.

In addition, cbec eco engineering were employed at the design and construction supervision phases, while McGowan Environmental Ltd carried out on-site construction.

The partnership project will also provide new opportunities for communities to engage with nature, participate in its restoration and enjoy biodiversity in the Angus foothills and easternmost parts of the Cairngorms National Park.

Roger Owen, partnership chairperson, said: “Restoring straightened rivers by encouraging natural re-meandering processes helps revive natural flow, reduces flood risk, improves water quality, and restores habitats for wildlife. This boosts biodiversity, supports fisheries, and enhances climate resilience while providing recreational and aesthetic benefits for communities.”