Our Riverlands project to revive a stretch of precious chalk stream that inspired poets and painters has been completed, marking the culmination of six-years of work led by the National Trust. Approximately ten kilometres of the Upper Bure in Norfolk have been carefully restored in a bid to bring back its gin-clear waters, improve prospects for wildlife, and reconnect people with the river.

The restoration, which started in 2018 in partnership with the Environment Agency and the Norfolk Rivers Trust as part of the Riverlands programme, involved re-naturalising sections of the river by adding fallen trees and large branches; installing new ponds and wetlands; reducing soil run-off from fields; and planting over 22,000 trees.

The Riverlands project was funded by The Environment Agency, the People’s Postcode Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, and UKRI (UK Research and Innovation). Partners include Norfolk Rivers Trust, Natural England, The Environment Agency, Norfolk Ponds Project and Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board.