Reimagining rivers and trout fisheries: evidence-based conservation in action

How centuries-old, engineered water meadows be reimagined to restore natural habitats, improve biodiversity, and support wild fish populations. In this video, we explore an innovative river restoration projects in the UK. On a Hampshire chalk stream, a rare habitat, we meet Will Liddell to learn about this project and the underlying science. Once used for flooding livestock pastures in the Middle Ages, these channels became straight, deep, and unsuitable for wildlife. Today, through careful design, new meandering channels, tree installations, and gravel beds are transforming the river back into a living, self-sustaining ecosystem. We discuss how evidence-based restoration can bring rivers back to life, how data collection and experimental design (the “before–after control-intervention” approach) provide real scientific insight, and how conservation projects can be both practical and visionary. This is a look at how field-based science, collaboration, and creativity can reshape our relationship with rivers — and why rigorous testing is as vital in ecology as it is in medicine. Topics covered: History and ecology of chalk streams Rewilding engineered rivers Habitat restoration and biodiversity monitoring Evidence-based conservation in practice The role of collaboration and funding in real-world projects The work was made possible due to Southern Water, the Rivers Trust, the Piscatorial Society and Professor Paul Kemp and PhD students from Southampton University.