Past and present riverscapes
We research maps, soil cores, ecology, GIS and catchment pressures to understand how a river has changed and what processes still have energy to work with.
River restoration, natural flood management and nature based solutions
Natural Riverscapes
We embed the natural in Natural Flood Management and Nature Based Solutions, specialising in riverscape-scale assisted recovery.
Our approach
Working with the river, not against it
We take time to understand the individuality of each river system and its landscape, looking at past and present conditions before deciding what kind of recovery is appropriate.
Assisted self-repair
Restoration should help natural processes drive river evolution, creating new niches for nature and allowing the channel to change shape across different time scales.
Future climate resilience
Our aim is for restoration, NFM and nature based solutions to look and function like a healthy natural reference reach, ideally as if we had never been on site.
Services
Services from investigation to delivery
Our team brings 70 years of academic and applied eco-fluvial geomorphology experience to research, design, delivery, training, monitoring and wider dissemination.
Catchment scale investigations
Riverscape investigations that widen into related disciplines and data sources, helping ensure restoration is deliverable, appropriate and future-facing.
River restoration design
Scoping reports, options appraisal, full design, flood modelling and Environmental Permitting Regulations consent support.
Training, coaching and mentoring
Project management, design, nature based solutions, natural flood management, river restoration and in-channel wood feature installation.
Pre and post project evidence
Monitoring plans, installation, low-tech scientific data collection, volunteer-friendly methods, analysis and reporting.
On-site delivery support
Design supervision, project management and practical positioning of features to reduce risk, cost, carbon and ecological impact.
Wider dissemination
Conferences, presentations, reports, posters, case studies, videos and social media outputs that share learning clearly.
NFM and NBS
Hydraulically slowing the flow with life
We work with the river and its ecology to embed nature in the design, avoiding carbon-heavy engineered approaches where natural process-led recovery can do the work.
Natural Flood Management
Our approach creates self-sufficient NFM measures where nature slows flows, rather than creating formal assets that need long-term inspection and maintenance.
River Restoration
Options can be low and slow or more interventional, depending on the river, catchment pressures and the ecological processes already present.
Practical features
Training and delivery can cover beaver dam analogues, hinged trees, brushwood mattresses, log deflectors and vanes.
Problem solving
Creative delivery in complex riverscapes
Experienced in both high and low gradient riverscapes, we take a creative approach to delivery, reducing risk while achieving restoration aims and minimising cost, carbon and ecological impacts on site.
Contact us
Talk to Natural Riverscapes
Email is the most reliable way to reach us, as we are often in remote locations without phone signal. Telephone calls are usually available weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Available slots
Select a slot to draft an appointment request.