Share your views on the Mereway Nature Park River Restoration Project!
We’d love to hear what you think about the newly restored river at Mereway Nature Park.
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (LBRuT), working in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE), and the Crane Valley Partnership (CVP), has recently completed an exciting project to restore a section of the Lower Crane River. The work, supported by Thames 21 through the EMPOWER Rivers grant and the Envrionment Agency, was completed in October 2025 and aims to create high-quality habitats for wildlife while improving the river for local people. A fantasic team of volunteers have just finished planting native wetland plug plants, so it might look a little muddy at the moment - so be sure to check back over the coming months to watch these grow and see this site develop as the vegetation matures!
ZSL is now working with partners and local volunteers to monitor the impact of these improvements. Your feedback is an important part of this process. We’ve created a short survey to understand how people use and feel about the site - your responses will help shape how this project is maintained and guide future river restoration work across the Crane Valley.
What has changed?
The project aims to restore the river to a more naturally functioning state, helping to:
The project aims to restore the river to a more naturally functioning state, helping to:
- Improve water flow through the channel
- Increase water storage capacity
- Create richer habitats for plants and wildlife
- Provide a more enjoyable natural space for the community
- Increase water storage capacity
- Create richer habitats for plants and wildlife
- Provide a more enjoyable natural space for the community
Key restoration works include:
- Removing a 30-metre concrete wall to reconnect the river with its banks
- Creating a new recessed area to hold more water and support wildlife
- Building a raised natural bank on the opposite side to enhance habitat diversity
- Adding gravels and wooden features within the channel to create shallow, fast-flowing areas where freshwater invertebrates thrive and fish can spawn
- A new wetland area has also been created. This space is currently fenced off to allow habitats to establish safely, but visitors can still enjoy views of the river from the top of the bank.
- Creating a new recessed area to hold more water and support wildlife
- Building a raised natural bank on the opposite side to enhance habitat diversity
- Adding gravels and wooden features within the channel to create shallow, fast-flowing areas where freshwater invertebrates thrive and fish can spawn
- A new wetland area has also been created. This space is currently fenced off to allow habitats to establish safely, but visitors can still enjoy views of the river from the top of the bank.
For more details, visit:
https://www.richmond.gov.uk/news/news_november_2025/mereway_restoration
https://www.richmond.gov.uk/news/news_november_2025/mereway_restoration
Get involved:
If you’re interested in becoming a citizen scientist and helping to monitor the river’s recovery, we’d love to hear from you.
Email: azra.glover@zsl.org
If you’re interested in becoming a citizen scientist and helping to monitor the river’s recovery, we’d love to hear from you.
Email: azra.glover@zsl.org
Or explore upcoming training events via ZSL’s Eventbrite page:
eventbrite.co.uk/o/zsl-marine-and-freshwater-19227197801
Thank you for sharing your feedback - it will make a real difference to the future of the Crane Valley.