What a wonderful video! Seeing our wild lands being restored touches my heart so deeply. To see these places recovering and returning to their wild glory, and to see the wildlife return and flourish, is just wonderful. Big thanks to the RSPB! 🏞️👏😊🤸
thanks for the question. Our approach is to slow the water through the whole system. So starting on the tops, we've been re-wetting the peatbogs, so that they hold the water for longer and release it more slowly. Then lots of tree and wildflower planting and changes in grazing, to re-vegetate areas, slowing the flow down the valley sides and bottoms. Then re-wiggling the river and removing its embankments to reconnect it to its floodplain, again further slowing the flow. - Annabel
This is no amateur RUclips video. Very good indeed. That black butterfly had me going for a while, thinking you had slipped in a species from abroad as a fill in. Its not a butterfly at all, but it sits on the flower just like one. Its a Chimney Sweeper moth
good shot of a deer stripping a young tree ... there are 1 million deer in scotland now so there is hardly any natural regeneration .since it was us that wiped out their predators its down to us to do the culling or lose what woodland is left
You're absolutely right - deer management is also an important part of the work to restore the woodland here along with deer fencing to allow regeneration. _ Annabel
It's always been pretty much like you see it now. No huge amount of trees were removed before the dam was built. Trees only grow where they are able to grow.....
Not yet, but tree planting and natural tree regeneration is a big part of our work here. We have an on-site nursery where we grow thousands of different native trees from seed sourced at site. Once they're big enough, our team of staff and volunteers plant them back out on the fells and in the landscape. _Annabel
Trees are missing from much of the Lake District fells where they should be, which is part of the work we're doing here in planting and restoring the right trees in the right places.
Planting trees like that is such a waste of resources. The seeds would naturally get there like they have done for millennia. However, the overpopulation of sheep is what is stopping it... If you keep the sheep out and stop the overgrazing, the whole thing would rewild for free. Like how beavers would have re-wiggled that river for... FREE. If only they had some trees to eat and use in the damn making.
Hiya, thanks for your feedback. We agree about sheep over-grazing, which is why we've reduced our flock and they only graze the enclosed land near the farm. We've also fenced out massive areas from sheep (and deer) to allow natural regeneration to take place which is happening. But we have also planted over 200,000 trees to give the landscape a helping hand too. And likewise, Beavers are in the plans....check out our vision video: bit.ly/HWRVision - Annabel
Give people credit for trying this, of course TREES with sheep and and cows is an option, - wont look like the paintings but - purbeck project - good example of sensible balance - makes money for landowners looks natural isnt yet, has campers walkers eco tourism - and makes more money than most farms per area for poor quality land - many do come to the lakes for the views but Cumbria, Lancs Westmorland is a big place ...
It's really depressing how their numbers are not doing well. They're on the amber list of concern now. They're generally doing well here at Wild Haweswater which is a light in the darkness - Annabel
You're right that trees should be much more prevalent in the landscape. In the uplands the trees should be more sparse, low-growing, old trees, than the denser, mature woodlands in the lower landscapes. The uplands would also be much wetter with fully functioning bog eco-systems. This is shown in more detail in our vision here: bit.ly/HWRVision - Annabel
@@javwildman I take that back, its 1 minute of restoration and 10 minutes of hippie talk! I've watched wild life documentaries since the 1970's, so yeah, lots of hippie talk in my life time as well as being around actual hippies. The video didn't explain or show how the stream was restored to a meander only some of the benefits in doing so. Is that a good accomplishment, yes it is, but showing how it was done would have been better.
@@sw8741 Thanks for your feedback, we've got a number of videos about our work to restore Swindale Back on this You Tube channel, talking about how we did it. Check them out :) _ Annabel
i am surprised that there has not been more viewing of this
Do feel free to share it! :)
What a wonderful video! Seeing our wild lands being restored touches my heart so deeply. To see these places recovering and returning to their wild glory, and to see the wildlife return and flourish, is just wonderful. Big thanks to the RSPB! 🏞️👏😊🤸
Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed it _Annabel
Would you consider leaking weirs at the start of the river course to slow, spread and absorb the water, plus controlling erosion.
thanks for the question. Our approach is to slow the water through the whole system. So starting on the tops, we've been re-wetting the peatbogs, so that they hold the water for longer and release it more slowly. Then lots of tree and wildflower planting and changes in grazing, to re-vegetate areas, slowing the flow down the valley sides and bottoms. Then re-wiggling the river and removing its embankments to reconnect it to its floodplain, again further slowing the flow. - Annabel
Beautiful video. It's incredible that such tiny birds are able to migrate from Africa
Great photography
Great mini documentary
YES HORSEWATER GO ON!!!
So inspiring.
Thanks Annie :) - Annabel
This is no amateur RUclips video. Very good indeed.
That black butterfly had me going for a while, thinking you had slipped in a species from abroad as a fill in. Its not a butterfly at all, but it sits on the flower just like one. Its a Chimney Sweeper moth
great video!!
I loved watching this! So peaceful and informative. A bit like bbc earth, but less storytelling.
good shot of a deer stripping a young tree ... there are 1 million deer in scotland now so there is hardly any natural regeneration .since it was us that wiped out their predators its down to us to do the culling or lose what woodland is left
You're absolutely right - deer management is also an important part of the work to restore the woodland here along with deer fencing to allow regeneration. _ Annabel
No where near enough trees. Not enough variety of trees either.
It's always been pretty much like you see it now. No huge amount of trees were removed before the dam was built. Trees only grow where they are able to grow.....
@@Brian-om2hh The whole of the UK used to be a forest. Reforestation is vital and needs to be done all over the UK.
Give it time, nature will win.
Not yet, but tree planting and natural tree regeneration is a big part of our work here. We have an on-site nursery where we grow thousands of different native trees from seed sourced at site. Once they're big enough, our team of staff and volunteers plant them back out on the fells and in the landscape. _Annabel
@@wildhaweswater5622Then evenually reintroduce the beaver to manage the hydrolics....!
Congratulations congratulations
RSPB???
Hi Danielle, the work at Haweswater is a partnership between the landowner United Utilities and the land manager the RSPB. Best wishes, Annabel
bring in pine martens to control grey squirrel population
Very true - it's part of the plan - Annabel
And how would you prevent the Pine Martens from affecting the local red squirrel population?
@@Brian-om2hh pine martins are known to only kill greys
get rid of overgrazing and bring back the lost woodlands
Absolutely! That's a big part of our work here. - Annabel
Yeah but were are the trees, that is what we need the most.
Trees are missing from much of the Lake District fells where they should be, which is part of the work we're doing here in planting and restoring the right trees in the right places.
@@wildhaweswater5622 mountains should be covered with trees...anyway good job
@@janosik150 Agreed and thank you :)
Planting trees like that is such a waste of resources. The seeds would naturally get there like they have done for millennia. However, the overpopulation of sheep is what is stopping it... If you keep the sheep out and stop the overgrazing, the whole thing would rewild for free. Like how beavers would have re-wiggled that river for... FREE. If only they had some trees to eat and use in the damn making.
Hiya, thanks for your feedback. We agree about sheep over-grazing, which is why we've reduced our flock and they only graze the enclosed land near the farm. We've also fenced out massive areas from sheep (and deer) to allow natural regeneration to take place which is happening. But we have also planted over 200,000 trees to give the landscape a helping hand too. And likewise, Beavers are in the plans....check out our vision video: bit.ly/HWRVision - Annabel
Give people credit for trying this, of course TREES with sheep and and cows is an option, - wont look like the paintings but - purbeck project - good example of sensible balance - makes money for landowners looks natural isnt yet, has campers walkers eco tourism - and makes more money than most farms per area for poor quality land - many do come to the lakes for the views but Cumbria, Lancs Westmorland is a big place ...
The fact that the population of Dippers has gone down 1% every year for the past 30 is depressing!
It's really depressing how their numbers are not doing well. They're on the amber list of concern now. They're generally doing well here at Wild Haweswater which is a light in the darkness - Annabel
My opinion is that the 'climax' of most UK ecosystems is a mature woodland, including moors etc. All this grazing land is totally artificial.
You're right that trees should be much more prevalent in the landscape. In the uplands the trees should be more sparse, low-growing, old trees, than the denser, mature woodlands in the lower landscapes. The uplands would also be much wetter with fully functioning bog eco-systems. This is shown in more detail in our vision here: bit.ly/HWRVision - Annabel
Regenerative ag is my religion.
A brilliant religion to choose :) - Annabel
@@wildhaweswater5622 It's so good for the land, the wild and farmers. There's really no downside!
2 minutes of restoration and 9 minutes of hippie talk.
Surprised you watched it to the end, I take it you don't like wild life documentaries or "hippie talk" as you call it.
@@javwildman I take that back, its 1 minute of restoration and 10 minutes of hippie talk! I've watched wild life documentaries since the 1970's, so yeah, lots of hippie talk in my life time as well as being around actual hippies. The video didn't explain or show how the stream was restored to a meander only some of the benefits in doing so. Is that a good accomplishment, yes it is, but showing how it was done would have been better.
@@sw8741 Thanks for your feedback, we've got a number of videos about our work to restore Swindale Back on this You Tube channel, talking about how we did it. Check them out :) _ Annabel