Restoration of the Mayes brook and Mayesbrook Park in the London Borough of Barking and , Greater London

Nick Elbourne RRC Restoration Adviser & Communications Cranfield University postgraduate student

Introduction to the Mayesbrook Park project A coordinated monitoring programme Background Delivering an integrated approach Mayes brook was over deep and it had been re-aligned behind A monitoring strategy aimed to ensure improvements could be palisade fencing. Mayesbrook Park was awarded funding assessed in a scientific and transparent manner. Evaluation through the Mayor of London’s ‘Help a London Park’ scheme. targets focused on the aquatic and terrestrial environment, As a flagship scheme, this helped draw in considerable interest social science and adaption to climate change. PRAGMO, the and funding included a contribution from R.C.A., an insurance monitoring guidance developed by RRC was used to determine company. The restoration delivered multiple benefits. SMART objectives. Data has been collected by many groups and the RRC have helped to coordinate this process centrally. Project aims • Deliver exemplar natural flood management. • UK first in adapting urban green space to climate change. • Meet WFD and BAP targets. • Provide a long-term and sustainable asset in an area of social deprivation. Public consultation event, 2008. © LBBD Monitoring by technical staff, volunteers and school groups. © LBBD/Nick Elbourne Landscape design • River works to increase flood storage by 1ha and increase Early results on the morphology and ecology habitats and wildlife. River and floodplain habitat • Improvements in landscape, social and aesthetic value. New • Increase in the diversity of habitats and flow types. recreation facilities and better access for park users. • Improvement in the Urban River Survey ‘score’ over time. • Thames Water identified misconnections in the catchment • Photographic evidence of the restored river and floodplain and reedbed habitat was created to ameliorate water quality. accommodating floodwaters as designed. • Increase in the number of aquatic invertebrate groups. • Change in aquatic invertebrate community composition.

Mayesbrook Park restoration project landscape master plan. © Quartet Design A grass field (pre) and wildflower meadow with sinuous river (post). © Nick Elbourne

Key messages • Hailed as the UK’s first ‘climate change adaption park’, with a © Nick Elbourne dramatically improved and more resilient natural infrastructure. • Significant social benefits. An on-site ranger as a friendly face for local people, and event organisation have been central to this. • Data collected as part of the integrated monitoring strategy will provide clear evidence to support future restoration work.

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