River Bure Restoration – Scarrow Beck

The Scarrow Beck restoration formed part of the National Trust’s wider Riverlands initiative to restore the health of the River Bure and its tributaries. Delivered by Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board on behalf of the National Trust, the project focused on a 1.9km section of Scarrow Beck south of Aldborough, an important chalk stream within the upper Bure catchment.

The project addressed a number of issues affecting the beck, including an incised and degraded channel, reduced habitat diversity and a loss of connection between the river and its natural wetland areas. Funded through a Water Environment Grant, the aim was to restore more natural river processes while creating a richer and more resilient wetland landscape for wildlife. Work was completed in 2021, contributing to the wider ambition to improve the ecological health of the River Bure catchment.

Benefits

The restored Scarrow Beck now provides a more diverse river and wetland environment, supporting a wider range of habitats and species. Gravel and woody features create varied flow conditions and improve habitat for fish and aquatic invertebrates, while the new ponds, scrapes and wetland areas provide additional habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The benefits were evident soon after completion, with green sandpipers, greenshanks, snipe and brook lamprey recorded around the restored site. The new wetlands also help naturally filter sediment and pollutants, contributing to improved water quality.

The project demonstrates how carefully designed river restoration can work alongside effective water management to revive chalk-stream ecosystems, reconnect rivers with their floodplains and create healthier, more biodiverse landscapes.

Visit the National Trust – Restoring the River Bure webpages to find out more about the wider restoration project the National Trust is undertaking.