River Hayle Footpath Preservation Volunteer Day

Calling all conservationists and anyone interested in helping protect the footpath between St Erth and Relubbus.

On Tuesday 15^th August the Westcountry Rivers Trust is teaming up with Cormac and Cornwall Council to install Green Bank Repairs at points of erosion along the River Hayle where loss of the river bank poses a risk to the adjacent footpath. They are seeking volunteers to join them in an effort to build skills within the local community that will help prolong the life of the beloved footpath route into the future.

Green bank repairs are those that work with natural processes to reduce riverbank erosion. Often, they have additional benefits such as providing a better in-channel habitat for river wildlife like fish and insects and have successfully been used in the past to protect areas of footpath along the River Hayle which were of being lost as the river meanders across its floodplain. By securing bundles of willow and hazel brash to the bank at along the section eroding, it creates and buffer taking energy out of the waterflow and helping to trap any soil that does become loose.

In 2022, green bank repairs were installed along the riverbank at the section of footpath currently closed at Carbis Mill. Westcountry River Trust continue to monitor and make repairs to these and despite not yet being a solution that allows reopening of that section, there has been success in protecting the bank from further loss. We want to intervene at other erosion hotspots now, before the path is lost.

Green Bank repairs in situ at Carbis Mill

One of the areas that will be tackled during the volunteer event on 15^th August

Volunteering details

The session will be working in the section between Green Lane and Carbis Mill and will be overseen by Henry Mariner of Westcountry Rivers Trust and Lea Thomas of Cormac Solutions.

Most of the volunteer activity will be on the bankside, however if you are attending, please do bring welly boots and wear clothing suitable for outdoor work. Protective clothing and equipment will be provided.

The session will meet at 10am at the Green Lane Gaging Station to walk on from there, leaving at 10.10am. To walk to the meeting point from St Erth Church, follow the Green Lane all the way until you cross the river over a bridge. The organisers will be there to meet the volunteers.

Meeting location what3words: https://w3w.co/clubbing.reverses.online

Benefits of volunteering

If you are able to attend and support the activity, not only will you be helping protect the valued footpath, but it will be a great opportunity to find out more the habitats and geomorphology of the River Hayle as well as learn a new active skill that might come in useful in the future as the river continues to move and more sections become eroded.

• Enjoy being outdoors and active
• Learn a new skill
• Find out about the habitats and geomorphology of the River Hayle
• Protect a valued footpath for the benefit of the community

Find out more about the River Hayle Community Project at: https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/hayle-river-community-project