Inchewan Burn Restoration

The Inchewan Burn Restoration Project is a good example of a community-inspired project where Scottish Native Woods are playing an important supporting role, offering advice on woodland management and using their charitable status and network of contacts to attract funding that might not otherwise be available to people who are not constituted in to any kind of formal group.

Four years ago, with poor salmon numbers on the Tay, John Monteith, a local ghillie, decided that he had to try and do more to help the situation. He began by looking at the habitat in the area around his own fishing beat, which included the Inchewan Burn. On inspection there were two obvious problems. Firstly, the in-stream engineering that was installed when Birnam was bypassed by the A9 was breaking down and was now providing an effective barrier to the passage of migratory fish. Secondly, the tree cover around much of the burn was very dense, causing heavy shading of the watercourse during the summer months. This had the effect of keeping the water very cool and reducing the insect life that a whole range of other aquatic species depended on, including fish. In addition, much of the bank side vegetation had been shaded out, making the banks much more liable to erosion.

John, an active member of the Tay Ghillies Association, set up a casting school to fund conservation works on the river. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) put him in contact with the River Restoration Centre, which surveyed the failed engineering works and recommended a plan to address this situation. The works detailed in the report have recently been implemented by Transport Scotland, at a cost off almost £75,000. Money raised by the casting school was used to commission a report (undertaken by Scottish Native Woods in Aberfeldy) on the woodland cover in the catchment. The Tay Liaison Committee and the Dunkeld & Birnam Angling Association also kindly contributed money towards this habitat condition survey. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) organised a “Working with Rivers” seminar in the Birnam Institute in both 2006 & 07 and the Inchewan Burn was used as a focal point for this.

Forestry Commission Scotland has removed 30m of commercial plantation back from the edge of the burn to let in more light. This spring, a further thinning of non-native trees along the burn will be thinned out to allow more light to penetrate from the southern bank, leaving a higher proportion of native broadleaved species. This naturally lets in more light and creates a more dappled shade, better suited to both plant and insect life. Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust will help to provide suitable interpretation. Seating will also be provided. Local primary school children will be helping to plant some trees to finish the project this spring.

For any further information on the Inchewan Burn Project please feel free to contact John Monteith on 00 971 50 912 3878, jock@themonteith.com or his website www.themonteith.com

Note: Double click on any image to enlarge.

Newtyle

The Inchewan Burn joins the Tay just below Dunkeld Bridge on the Newtyle fishing beat.

Riparian Restoration

Restoration works began in spring 2007, with Forestry Commission staff from Tay Forest District organising the removal of conifers from the north bank, and hence starting a process of letting more light into the burn.

Harvestor

The work was carried out by commercial harvesting machinery, although on parts of the steeper slopes timber had to be felled by chainsaw operators.

Conifer timber

Almost 1000 tonnes of timber was harvested. Riparian habitat restoration work can therefore provide useful material for local industry, and support local employment, in harvesting, haulage and processing, as well as the necessary management expertise required.

Fish passage

Work to allow fish passage through the burn started in early autumn 2007. The operation lasted approximately 10 weeks, cost £75,000, and was supervised by Transport Scotland. A Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licence from SEPA is required for works of this type.

Restoration process

Water was first diverted into a pipe to allow a dry working space. The reno mattresses all had to be removed.

Under the A9

Work progressed steadily upstream. The A9 trunk road passes over the burn.

Siltation

Measures had to be adopted to prevent siltation downstream. Simple solutions using straw and sacking can be very effective. The work programme was blessed with good weather throughout.

Sea Trout return

A series of 11 pools were created using local materials. The main stones had to be cemented into place to ensure a robust structure that will withstand future floods. Fish can move easily from one pool to the next. Sea trout had passed through the pools to spawn upstream within two day of the works being completed, probably the first in 30 years.

Working with Rivers

The Inchewan Burn was used as a focal point for a Working with Rivers conferences organised by Scottish Natural Heritage and SEPA in both 2006 and 2007. It is hoped to use it as a demonstration site for illustrating best practice in the future.

There will be more photos of tree planting and thinning, the interpretation boards and new seating area later in the spring.

Dunkeld Royal School lend a hand

Tree Planting at Inchewan Burn with Dunkeld Royal School, 29th April 2008.

Mike Flinn from Forest Education Initiative gives the children a bit of history about the site, and runs through a risk assessment for the morning.

25 children and two teachers from the school took part in the exercise.

REMEMBER - clicking on image will show you a larger version.

How to plant a tree

Mike demonstrates how to plant a tree correctly.

He had an attentive audience.

The trees were containerised and were from local Perthshire seed supplied by Alba Trees in East Lothian.

Here we go!

Having been shown what to do and where, the class get on with it.

They planted 210 trees (oak, cherry, birch, rowan & willow) in well under two hours. The trees are staked & tubed to prevent rabbits or deer from eating them.

You can find the site where the trees are planted, just over the bridge at the top of the Inchewan Burn, on National Forest Estate land that was cleared of conifers last year. There will be space for further such planting days in subsequent years.