THE floods earlier this year were devastating not only for communities living alongside watercourses, but wildlife too.

Swollen becks and rivers destroyed habitats and in some cases changed the path of the river bank.

But the post-floods picture for nature is not all bleak. “In some places, such as an area near East Riddlesden Hall, the entire bankside changed, but it has enlarged an existing habitat - there is a bank of sand martin nests, which is now bigger,” explains Don Vine, conservation officer with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

”There are winners and losers. Some bankside habitats disappeared after banks collapsed, such as an area near Marley, but others have been created.”

The floodwater that swept into meadows has in some instances led to what could ultimately become wetlands.

Tree roots that have become exposed as water washed away soil can also become new, safe homes for wildlife. Trees and branches that have been uprooted can also end up as habitats for animals, birds and insects.

“If a tree is washed downstream and is causing an obstruction then it will be removed, but if it becomes anchored into a bankside and does not obstruct the flow of water the woody debris can become a home for invertebrates,” explains Don.

Otter holts created as part of the Mid-Aire Otters and Rivers Project have not all escaped unscathed. “We will be revisiting the sites and having a look at which ones need to be replaced,” says Don. “There are two along the River Aire in Bingley.”

An otter survey carried out by the trust following the floods recorded the presence of otters at a number of locations along the mid and upper Aire. “We found tracks near Silsden, and Bingley and also found otter ‘spraint’ - droppings - at Otterburn near Skipton,” says Don.

Flooding can drive otters from their holts and also force them onto roads. In flood conditions culverts used by otters may become waterlogged, leading to the animals crossing busy highways.

“In some areas this happens on a fairly regular basis,” says Don. “It happens on a stretch of road between Silsden and Kildwick at Holme Beck. “The otters usually pass under the road but if the culverts become too full of water they will go across it. We have seen some casualties.”

Any victims discovered on the road and reported are collected by the Environment Agency which will perform an autopsy, logging information about their health.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust - which is 70 years old this year - is working with the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Farming and Wildlife Partnership and The Upper Aire Land Management Project. Forest of Bradford is also working closely with them.

In the past five years, to improve water quality and biodiversity on the Upper Aire, the trust has worked with 65 corporate groups and 1500 volunteers. Together they have surveyed 85km of watercourse, engaged with 60 landowners across 8500 hectares of land, installed 20km of fences and 15 drinking bays/troughs for farm animals, planted 80 hectares of trees and 1250 metres of hedges and restored 400 metres of established hedgerow. They have also built 600 metres of living willow bankside support and installed special leaky brash and hay bale dams.

Habitat creation in many forms, including tree planting, forms part of the project. The trust works with landowners to identify sites where planting will be of benefit. The many advantages of tree planting include helping to reduce surface run off and the risk of flooding downstream.

“It increases the porosity of the soil,” explains Don. “When excess water is running over and picking up topsoil it can bring with it fertiliser and pesticides which can then find their way into watercourses. Trees can reduce the risk of this happening.”

Hedges can also make an impact in reducing flooding, and work is being carried out along the Aire catchment, most recently at Otterburn between Settle and Malham.

“We are looking at a long period of recovery,” says Don.

Landowners working with the trust and Environment Agency are predominantly made up of farmers, but include businesses and Bradford Council.

The trust is also working to create more ‘wet woodland’ - poorly drained or seasonally flooded areas in which certain types of tree, including willow, alder, dogwood and downy birch, thrive.

“They attract invertebrates or animals which you don’t tend to find in normal woodlands, such as otters, crane flies and various types of butterfly,” says Don.

“Hedgerow can also be wet if it is growing across a wet field. Even hillsides can retain water with wet flushes where water collects.”

*For more information about volunteering visit ywt.org.uk/volunteer E: volunteering@ywt.org.uk T:01904 659570