2025 UK River Prize winner part-funded by SRA
A project part-funded by Somerset Rivers Authority has won the Catchment Restoration Award in the River Restoration Centre’s 2025 UK River Prizes.
The Holnicote Estate Project, led by the National Trust in West Somerset, was picked for its successes over the last seven years in restoring natural processes to the River Aller and Horner Water catchments.
The National Trust’s aim has been to make land in these catchments more resilient in times of flood and drought and richer in nature, while remaining productive for farmers.
Other organisations and programmes involved have included the Environment Agency, the EU’s Interreg 2Seas Co-Adapt initiative, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) Green Recovery Challenge Fund, Defra and the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund’s Species Survival Fund, and the South West Peatland Partnership.
Individual schemes part-funded by Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) have included:
- the UK’s first large-scale main river restoration using the “Stage Zero” technique on part of the River Aller
- similar restoration across 125 hectares of Tivington Farm upstream of the River Aller “Stage Zero” scheme
- re-introducing beavers into an enclosed site
- a dozen other natural flood management schemes
About “Stage Zero”
Simplified and straightened rivers get disconnected from the landscapes that surround them.
“Stage Zero” is about resetting them – like pressing ‘ctrl-alt-delete’ on a computer.
Near Selworthy, a historically straightened 1.2km section of the River Aller has been filled in, and the river has been allowed to find its own more natural courses. Many cross-connected channels now flow freely and slowly and they are fully connected to their floodplain.
The result: seven new hectares of waterscapes and wetlands (that is the size of more than ten football pitches).
Dead wood, once a common natural feature in rivers, was also used to help create these new wetlands, with big timbers placed to slow and spread water. The land can now store more water and it remains wetter for longer, so the river is more resilient in extreme weather situations (flood and drought).
Ben Eardley, Project Manager for the National Trust, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive this national recognition for our work in restoring the health and resilience of the Horner and Aller catchments.
“Early results have been very promising—flood peak reductions of up to 40%, longer lag times, and decreased turbidity are just a few of the indicators showing the project’s impact.
“This prize wouldn’t have been possible without the strong collaboration of our partners, the dedication of local farmers, and the ongoing support from the community.”
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Stewart Clarke, National Freshwater Specialist at the National Trust, said: “Drawing inspiration from successful projects in Oregon, the National Trust has been at the forefront of experimenting with the ‘Stage Zero’ technique at Holnicote.
“This innovative approach is not just a groundbreaking step for river restoration in Europe, but also an exciting opportunity to learn more about how we can harness the natural processes that our rivers once relied on.
“Stage Zero offers huge promise for river systems rich in nature that can store water, sediment and carbon and we can create such wetland reaches within the network of more familiar single channel rivers where space allows.”
Similar work has also been undertaken across 125 hectares of Tivington Farm upstream of the River Aller “Stage Zero” scheme. Several kilometres of ditches were restored. Land was also reverted back from arable to pasture to help reduce’s the farm impact on its watercourses.
Natural flood management on the Holnicote estate
The SRA has funded or part-funded a range of natural flood management schemes, including tree planting, hedge planting, creating ponds and swales and scrapes, and contributing to the costs of the Whiteman’s Beaver Site at Holt Ball.
The overarching aim of all these schemes has been to slow the flow of water down through the Horner and River Aller catchments, by holding water back and by allowing greater infiltration of surface water into the ground.
Another major benefit has been the making of better habitats for wildlife.
More information about two schemes at Hurdledown and Lower Selworthy in 2018-19: https://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/flood-risk-work/sra-annual-report-2018-19/w2-land-management/capital-grant-schemes/
More information about seven schemes in 2019-20: https://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/flood-risk-work/sra-annual-report-2019-20/natural-flood-management-nfm-capital-grant-schemes-holnicote-estate-exmoor/
More information about two schemes in 2020-21 (planting 900 trees at Horner Farm, pond creation and ditch adaptation at Selworthy): https://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/flood-risk-work/sra-annual-report-2020-21/natural-flood-management-capital-grant-schemes-across-somerset/
Other schemes have included 550 metres of hedge-planting at Horner Farm, and 446 metres of hedge planting at Horner Farm.
Future plans
The National Trust say the Holnicote team will now continue their restoration efforts, working towards a more climate-resilient and biodiverse landscape. Plans include the development and delivery of a Landscape Recovery Scheme to offer fair compensation for land managers who prioritise habitat and wildlife conservation.
To find out more about the Riverlands project: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/appeal/porlock-vale-riverlands-appeal