Activities contributing towards the SLNRS: November 2025
Activities contributing towards the Shropshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
A report to the Parish Council meeting on 6 November 2025
Priority: Re-naturalise rivers and stabilise flows
Action 3.4 Restore streams and rivers to a more natural flow
The Kemp downstream of Kempton was straightened more than 200 years ago, but its old meandering course can still be traced. In a remarkable project named ‘The Walcot Wiggle’ more than 1 kilometre of the old channel is being revived. It has been described as:
‘a bold example of what river restoration can look like when we match ambition with collaborative action and landowner support. It shows the power of giving rivers room to move and nature the conditions to thrive, resulting in far-reaching multiple benefits for biodiversity, flood risk reduction and climate mitigation’.
The project has gone ahead thanks to the commitment of local landowners working in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency, Shropshire Hills National Landscape and external funders, notably the Elgol Fund for Nature. See https://share.google/eLUwhawBdc7KlUMRh
This ambitious project shows what can be done and it is hoped that it will inspire further work here and along other parts of the Clun and its tributaries where old river channels are evident in many places.
Priority: Restore, connect and expand heathland sites
Action 11.1 Establish effective management regimes for heathland sites
The drone photos taken of Whinberry Hill on 22 September will facilitate the calculation of the extent of bracken cutting undertaken in 2025 and enable the establishment of an effective bracken management regime for 2026 and subsequent years. This will be facilitated if the Parish Council submits a grant application for the purchase of scythes to the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Conservation Fund and it happens to be successful.
Priority: Enable more access to and connection with nature for health and wellbeing
Action 16.3 Enhance people’s connection with nature
There was a Parish Walk along rights of way from Clunbury, over Clunbury Hill and through Purslow Wood on 25 October.
Tom Wall
4 November 2025