2022-23 Tales from an East Anglian Riverbank - Portfolio - Page 8
BEDFORD OUSE FLOATING PENNYWORT
HALTING
THE INVASION
Working with:
River Care
Anglian Water
EA Lead:
James BrokenshireDyke, FBG team
Floa}ng Pennywort forms dense mats of
rounded leaves which noat across the water9s
surface, deple}ng oxygen levels and light for
photosynthesis, threatening 昀椀sh and
invertebrates, and outcompe}ng our na}ve
water plants.
Partners and volunteer groups have worked
together over the last seven years to free the
Bedford Ouse from Pennywort. This invasive
species had already a昀昀ected the 昀椀shery and
impacted angling and boa}ng, and failure to
control it would have had a detrimental e昀昀ect
on the Ouse Washes SSSI and SAC, represen}ng
2,852 Ha of water dependent habitat.
Cooke9s Stream Before work was carried out - Credit: James Brokenshire Dyke, EA
Outputs:
£96,000
Total Project Value
£84,000
EA Funding includes FCRM
funding
£12,000
Partnership Funding
66 km of river surveyed
Floa}ng pennywort reduced to small dinner
plate-sized ra昀琀s in the margins
River Care have engaged with volunteers and
had paddlers out on the river
Outcomes:
Prevented decrease in biodiversity
Community engagement
Prevented pennywort from taking over and
reduced nood risk
Recrea}on on the river has con}nued
Cooke9s Stream 1 year a昀琀er work was carried out - Credit: James Brokenshire-Dyke, EA
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