Tales from the riverbank

How to admire and protect our wonderful waterways in the UK

- WORDS: LOUISE MIDGLEY. PHOTOS: GETTY

Our rivers are home to some of the most diverse species of flora and fauna around. During summer, when the water is teeming with activity and the riverbanks are billowing with plants, take a walk along them and explore their beauty.

Bird communities

With waterproof feathers and webbed feet, many species of waterfowl navigate the waterways throughout the year. These river dwellers, which include swans, ducks, coots and moorhens, all rely on a healthy ecosystem to allow them to forage for food, build nests and raise their young. They are joined by flying predatory birds, such as kingfishers, herons and intriguing cormorants, which have evolved to fly, dive and swim.

LUSH VEGETATION

The greenery that makes its home alongside our rivers is comprised of plants that grow above water on the bank, and emergent plants that have their roots in the water with top growth standing proudly above it. This marginal vegetation plays a vital role in protecting the banks from erosion, by binding the soil together with its roots. It also provides important habitats for myriad different species of creatures throughout the year. In summer, beautiful wild flowers, which include purple loosestrife, water mint and meadowsweet, intersperse the more dominant sedges and reeds.