Post a comment on the text below

Mayesbrook, London: Enhancement of community space and natural   landscape through stream restoration

The restoration of the Mayesbrook Park in east London is a flagship project for the London   Rivers Action Plan published in 2009, the first ever plan for restoring all   of London’s rivers (see section 3.3).   Before its restoration, run down sports facilities, two polluted artificial   lakes and a straightened, realigned and fenced river sunk into a deep concrete   channel made up the landscape at the Mayesbrook Park (Natural England, 2013).   The Mayes Brook was characterised in the Thames River Basin Management Plan   2009-2015 as one of the worst water bodies in the area, failing to achieve Good   Ecological Potential due to hydromorphological modifications, poor water   quality and low ecology (Thames River Trust, 2015). The main driver for the   restoration project on the River Mayesbrook in London was the identified need   for revitalisation of the park where the river is located, as well as water   quality improvements. The restoration of the Mayes Brook and Mayesbrook Park   lakes in London was also identified as a measure to improve hydromorphology   and water quality in the first River Basin Management Plan for the Thames   River Basin District.

The main aim of the restoration measures implemented was   to enhance the community space and achieve a more natural landscape that, at   the same time, could become a model for climate change adaptation in a city   environment (Greater London Authority, n.d.). The river restoration measures   implemented included the creation of a new floodplain (1.5 ha), riverside   wetlands, woodland planting, the creation of new sinuous water channels and   the re-grading of river banks.

After restoration, the river is showing rapid   morphological recovery and improved ecological resilience, helping the water   body progress towards Good Ecological Potential.

In addition to the ecological benefits, the restoration of   the River Mayesbrook in London has provided many additional benefits such as   health benefits, and improvement in the quality of life and wellbeing of the   local inhabitants, improved safety through greater park usage, socio-economic   benefits to local sports clubs as well as an educational resource for the   local schools. An assessment of the ecosystem services provided by the   restored Mayesbrook published estimated a substantial lifetime   benefit-to-cost ratio of £7 of benefits for every £1 of investment (Everard   et al., 2011). The study highlighted the social and health aspects improving   the quality of life and wellbeing of local communities as the more important   benefits of the intervention.                                                                  

Photo:   @xxx