Swale & Ure Washlands Project

Welcome to the Swale & Ure Washlands Project, an exciting, new initiative covering the historic washlands of the two rivers. You can see the extent of the project on the map.

Washlands are areas of low lying ground in the middle to lower reaches of rivers which are seasonally flooded when winter water levels flow, or wash, over the river banks.

Seasonal flooding of this nature can also be artificially created, using sluices and flap valves to deliberately flood land adjacent to a river. Such methods were used in central and southern England to create water meadows, lush, rich pasture for livestock.

Winter flooding of this type brings two benefits to landowners. The floodwater carries silt and nutrients which settle out onto the land, fertilising and enriching the soils. In addition, the covering of water keeps the soils slightly warmer than it would be if exposed. This results in an early start to the growing season.

Examples of washlands still managed in traditional ways can be found in the Lower Derwent National Nature Reserve, on the Yorkshire River Derwent. Here, seasonal flooding maintains wildflower rich hay meadows in early summer and wintering wetlands for hundreds of thousands of wildfowl and waders.

The project aims to create a sustainable economic and cultural future for the washlands. Tourism, leisure, recreation, wildlife conservation, agriculture and the minerals industry are all major factors in shaping the landscape of the area. We are helping to link everything together for a future which benefits everyone.

The first priority of the Project was to draw up a strategy for the afteruse of mineral extraction sites in the middle and lower sections of the Rivers Swale and Ure and other river valleys in North Yorkshire.

Ultimately the aim is to create a chain of nature reserves and community assets on the former mineral workings in the study area, and to seek to stimulate the conservation and enhancement of wildlife habitats, wildlife corridors and areas of particular landscape character. The strategy will become non-statutory planning guidance and will assist both the mineral planning authority, mineral companies and other interested groups in their discussion on the sympathetic restoration of existing and future planning applications.

The project is managed by the Lower Ure Conservation Trust and is jointly funded by a host of partners. Do take a look at A Future for the Washlands.