Meadow and wetland plan for River Trent

The £161,000 project is focussing on a 1.1m (1.8km) stretch of the river near Weston in Staffordshire

Work to restore wetland, grassland and river habitats on the River Trent has begun.

The £161,000 project is focussing on a 1.1m (1.8km) stretch of the river near Weston in Staffordshire.

Trent Rivers Trust said it would improve important spaces for wildlife and also reconnect the river to its floodplain, creating additional storage for flood water.

The initiative is expected to be completed by mid-September, as the work was timed to avoid disturbing nesting sand martins on the river banks.

As part of the work, embankments will be lowered and sections of the river widened which will help create breeding spots for wading birds and wildflower grasslands

The scheme will also restore a historic water meadow, once a common feature of a floodplain landscape utilised by farmers to encourage water onto the land, although many have been lost, neglected, or ploughed over, the trust said.

Embankments will be lowered and parts of the river will be widened, the trust said

Ruth Needham, head of landscapes and partnerships, said wetlands and floodplains have been lost along the river.

"By working on this section of the river, we’re restoring vital river and wetland habitats for wildlife," she said.

"In addition, the grassland will include a wider range of species creating productive and diverse grazing pasture for livestock.

"We need to make more space for our rivers and we’re grateful to the landowner who has created space on their land to help make this happen.”

Working to conserve fragile historic landscapes was vital while planning strategies to protect environments for the future continued, added Mark Knight, senior cultural heritage officer at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.