A tree-mendous Day on the Gipping Naomi Boyle, Environment Agency Members of the Environment Agency’s Suffolk Flood and Coastal Risk Management and Fisheries Biodiversity and Geomorphology Team carried out tree planting on some of our land along the River Gipping in Ipswich between the Handford Road Bridge and Norwich Railway crossing.
Tree roots are also important in helping to stabilise banks and provide excellent in-stream habitat for fish. Insects falling from the canopy provide a source of food for fish and accumulated leaf litter is an important food reserve for some macro-invertebrates. Overhanging branches and falling limbs can provide valuable habitat and can help with morphological diversity by varying the We previously consulted with the Gipping Angling flow and shape of the channel, which in turn creates Preservation Society (GAPS) and the Greenways habitat for many species of plants, invertebrates and Countryside Project about the planting locations so as fish. not to compromise good angling locations or areas of existing good habitat for invertebrates and reptiles. Under the Water Framework Directive (a piece of European legislation looking to improve the quality of Approximately 70 native trees and shrubs were planted our waterways) the River Gipping is classified as a including Alder, White willow, Goat willow, Hawthorn, heavily modified waterbody for the purpose of flood Crack willow, Black poplar, Buckthorn, Spindle, protection. It is currently at poor ecological potential. In Dogwood and Hazel. order to achieve good potential by 2027 we will have to address issues relating to water quality and flow as well The benefits of planting trees alongside watercourses as improving floodplain connectivity, increasing inare numerous; they provide valuable shade which helps channel morphological diversity and enabling fish to keep the water cool, this is especially important for passage. fish such as brown trout which are vulnerable to high water temperatures. The provision of shade is also The planting of trees at this location will help to improve useful in controlling excessive growth of some plant the river’s ecology as well as adding to the visual species such as Bur reed which can become a problem character of the area. in some watercourses.
Tree planting in action Members of the EA’s Flood & Coastal Risk Management and Fisheries, Biodiversity & Geomorphology Teams at the end of a successful day. 9
