Large woody debris and ORSU habitat creation works

This project involved the installation of large woody debris over 3 kilometres at two sites east of Newbury on the River Kennet along with the creation/restoration of two ORSUʼs (Off river support units) to improve the fishery habitat.

The locations for the installation of the woody debris were discussed with the client and agreed based on the suitability/requirements of the river at each point together with a suitably sized adjacent or nearbye tree.

The trees were then felled leaving a hinge where possible so they would continue to grow in their new position or felled, trimmed up to suit the location if required by reducing their length/height and width then moved into position.

Once in position the butt end is buried in the bank and the tree is secured in the channel using driven fence posts and wire which is attached first with the posts then driven further in to tension the wire.

Each tree was also anchored to a neighbouring tree using the stainless steel rope as belt and braces to maintain its position in the long term.

One of the orsuʼs was a silted up weir pool below the Kennet and Avon canal that we dredged and the other we created by extending a low lying area at the confluence of two tributaries of the kennet.