River Beck Restoration
“Thank you to the local community for engaging with us at our drop ins and emailing questions, and to everyone who joined our practical volunteering sessions.
Please read on to learn about the River Beck restoration in High Broom and Harvington Woods and find out how you can stay involved.
Together working with you, our partners and volunteers, we can create a more resilient and biodiverse River Ravensbourne for future generations.”
Catriona Ross & Tyler Randall – Thames21 team
RIVER BECK RESTORATION
The River Beck, which runs through High Broom Woods and Harvington Woods in the London Borough of Bromley, is one of the tributaries of the River Ravensbourne, which itself is a tributary of the River Thames. The River Beck’s source is nearby in Spring Park where Shirley and West Wickham meet. The aim of this project is to reduce the input of fine sediment in to the River Beck, and restore natural river processes using nature based interventions.
This river restoration project is funded by the Environment Agency WEIF programme, and delivered by Thames21.
RIVERBANK EROSION
Our focus is to repair and protect the banks to prevent further erosion and silt build-up. Riverbanks can become eroded when dogs and humans access the water, which is natural in small amounts. However, when this happens repeatedly, it can cause significant issues. Excessive erosion leads to a high amount of silt entering the river, which smothers gravels and disrupts the habitat for invertebrates and fish, including areas where fish spawn.
Our goal is to reduce the amount of silt entering the river in High Broom and Harvington Woods. This is particularly important because downstream lies Kelsey Park, where the river becomes a lake, created by the Victorians. As the river flows into the lake, it loses energy, causing the silt to settle out. This accumulation requires Bromley to carry out dredging every 10-15 years to remove tons of silt from the lake.
Volunteers have been involved in lining the banks with stakes and backfilling them with vegetation, which is called a berm. When the river swells during rainfall, the water has more energy, and will carry silt in to the berm where it will settle. Over time, the banks will be rejuvenated, and vegetation will grow, naturally reducing the risk of erosion. In the long term, work to further reduce erosion and help plants re-establish, contributing to a more sustainable river ecosystem.
A decision to divert a small number of footpaths was made after a thorough review as erosion was becoming a risk to both the public and the local ecosystem, and these necessary changes aim to address erosion, protect the natural environment and public safety.
A woven hazel fence created by volunteers in High Broom Wood
Enhance Biodiversity
We need to protect our natural habitats and wildlife. So, we aim to improve the ecological health of the River Beck and it’s riparian zone by reducing silt entering the water, increasing species diversity, and in-channel features that support a thriving ecosystem.
Overall, we aim to work with our volunteers, partners and the local community to make a real difference in desilting the River Beck and help to protect it for people and for wildlife.
A volunteer workday in High Broom Wood
WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN?
The works started in January 2025, where with the help of volunteers, we built a number of deflectors, berms and dead hedges to increase diversity of flow in the River Beck and reduce bankside erosion. Berms and deflectors restore natural functions to the river, promoting erosional and depositional processes that would otherwise be missing. Parts of the River Beck are overly wide or straight, and by using natural materials, we are able to add more sinuosity and diversity of flow which will increase the amount of habitat and biodiversity present in the river. 10% of the paths have been diverted away from the river using dead hedges, preventing access to areas that are heavily eroded and are contributing a lot of silt to the river. This will reduce further erosion and allow plants to colonise the area, stabilising the soil. We have ensured alternative routes are available, as well continued access to large stetches of the river in both woodlands.
Deflectors in Harvington Wood
Summer events 2025
We will be hosting community events this summer inviting the local community to learn more about the restoration and explore what’s living in the river. These events will be advertised here and on posters in High Broom and Harvington Wood.
London Borough of Bromley
Idverde is contracted by the London Borough of Bromley to manage the public greenspace across the borough, playing a vital role in the ongoing maintenance and conservation of High Broom Woods and Harvington Woods. As part of its long-term partnership with the borough, Idverde is dedicated to preserving the woods’ cleanliness, biodiversity, and ecological integrity. Their work includes habitat restoration through coppicing, ecological monitoring, controlling non-native invasive species, and lead liaison with the Friends of High Broom Woods and Friends of Harvington Woods.
Ravensbourne Catchment Improvement Group
A key aspect of this project is the partnership work through the Ravensbourne Catchment Improvement Group (RCIG). This formed in 2012 in order to represent a wide range of local stakeholders with a shared interest in improving the whole Ravensbourne catchment system to benefit local people and riverine habitats.
Formed as part of the UK Government’s Catchment-Based Approach initiative, catchment partnerships help implement obligations for protecting and improving water environments under the Water Framework Directive .
The RCIG hosts a wide range of partners such as the Environment Agency, Thames Water, Bromley Council, Bromley Town Parks and Gardens and other community groups. This partnership working is crucial to the success of local projects and ensures that all stakeholders are onboard with opportunities to improve river habitat throughout the catchment.
WFD Info: https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB106039023260
We would like to thank our partners for all their support. We are working in partnership with:
