Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • DIO completes pioneering river restoration on SPTA

Defence

DIO completes pioneering river restoration on SPTA

A ground-breaking Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) funded project has restored an area of wetland on the River Avon in West Chisenbury, part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) in Wiltshire.

Courtesy DIO

The ‘first of its kind’, the project is enhancing the biodiversity of the local area by improving the watercourse and natural floodplain, and off-setting nutrient pollution.

The project has restored a 400-metre stretch of the river Avon by putting the river back into the centre of the floodplain along a new channel. Secondary channels have also been created to connect wetlands and ponds and establish wildlife habitats across the river’s floodplain. As well as boosting biodiversity, these new areas of wetland will help to capture nutrient-loaded sediment and carbon.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

The restoration will see the new wetland habitats retain water all-year-round, meaning native wetland plants will flourish and wildlife will thrive. The improved wetland will increase habitat diversity and will bring a host of benefits for many species that can be found locally. This includes endangered water voles and invertebrates such as dragonflies and damselflies. The new river channels will also include re-profiled gravel ‘riffles’ – shallow sections of river where water flows more quickly. This will create diversity in the river channels and provide the perfect habitat for spawning fish such as the wild brown trout.

The river Avon is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is considered one of the UK’s finest chalk streams. Like many of England’s chalk streams – rivers that rise from springs in landscapes with chalk bedrock – the diverse ecosystem is particularly vulnerable to nutrient pollution. Excess amounts of nutrients, such as phosphorus, in rivers can cause increased growth of algae and large aquatic plants. This results in decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, which can kill fish and other aquatic life.

This restoration, working with entirely natural processes, will offset this pollution by capturing sediments containing harmful nutrients within the new wetland areas surrounding the river, removing them from the watercourse.

The flagship project has been funded by a significant investment from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Conservation Stewardship Fund programme. Additional funding has been provided by National Highways’ Environment and Wellbeing Designated Fund through the Network for Nature programme. The restoration work has been managed and delivered by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in collaboration with DIO and its industry partner, Landmarc.

The completed project at West Chisenbury provides a template for tackling the challenges of elevated nutrient levels and associated biodiversity loss that are facing chalk streams throughout Wiltshire and the wider UK.

Jenny Bennet, Senior Ecologist, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said: "The MoD is committed to supporting nature recovery at the national and local level, while at the same time supporting and enhancing military capability. We aim to be a leader in wildlife and nature conservation and to achieve this, DIO funds a rolling programme of conservation projects across the UK and overseas Defence estate.

"This innovative project, delivered in partnership with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, will bring long-term benefits for biodiversity as well as directly addressing the issue of harmful nutrient levels, one of the key pressures affecting our rivers. We look forward to witnessing the new wetland evolve over the next few years."

Alice Eley, Water Team Manager for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: "We’ve been excited to work with the MOD on this pilot project, which we hope will inform future projects to improve the health of our chalk streams using natural solutions.

"As well as capturing harmful nutrients like phosphorus and improving biodiversity in the area, the more natural shape and size of the river channel should also kick-start natural river processes such as sedimentation in the margins and faster flows in the main channel to promote weed growth and create clean, spawning gravels."

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

Jason Hones, South West Regional Director for National Highways, said: "We’re committed to significantly improving biodiversity near our road network, and this investment in the South West underlines our commitment to reducing the impact of our roads on the environment and supporting biodiversity.

"At National Highways, our work goes beyond operating, maintaining and improving roads, we’re investing in the environment and communities surrounding our network, helping to unlock the creation and enhancement of habitats and this is an example of the difference we can make with our designated environment and wellbeing funding."

 

 


 

Advertisement
General Atomics LB
Airframe Designs creates full-scale 3D-printed torpedo mock-up

Defence

Airframe Designs creates full-scale 3D-printed torpedo mock-up

8 May 2025

Aerospace leader Airframe Designs has been working with a global prime defence contractor to create a full-scale 3D-printed mock-up of a torpedo-style weapon using polymer additive manufacturing.

UK

Defence

UK's Defence Standard for SAF updated

8 May 2025

A bp led taskforce has achieved approval from the UK Ministry of Defence for co-processing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with up to 30% renewable hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock concentration, a significant increase from the current limit of 5%, has been led by bp.

Roke launches EM-Vis Deceive

Defence

Roke launches EM-Vis Deceive

7 May 2025

Roke has today launched EM-Vis Deceive - a new portable electronic warfare system that brings electromagnetic attack (EA) capabilities directly to troops on the ground - at AOC Europe 2025 in Rome.

UK-India FTA reached

Aerospace Defence

UK-India FTA reached

7 May 2025

The UK and India agreed a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) yesterday, aimed at reducing tariffs and boosting bilateral trade, which has been predicted could add as much as £4.8 billion to the UK economy.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025
VIVO Defence Services’ USVF contract extended

Defence

VIVO Defence Services’ USVF contract extended

7 May 2025

VIVO Defence Services’ United States Visiting Forces (USVF) contract has been extended – just over two-years since it started providing Facilities Management at US air bases across England.

Sonardyne receives two King’s Awards for Enterprise

Defence

Sonardyne receives two King’s Awards for Enterprise

7 May 2025

Hampshire based Sonardyne International Ltd, is one of only two UK companies to have been awarded a pair of prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise this year, with less than a handful of UK companies typically achieving two awards in a given year.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025