River Braiding & Reedbed Creation

River Restoration Demonstration Site established at Croxall Lakes

The site at Croxall was a Redland (now Lafarge Aggregates) sand and gravel quarry until the late 1980s. The restoration was dominated by a large, deep, rectangular sailing lake. Approximately 30% of the site was infilled with pulverished fuel ash from Drakelow Power Station. The National Forest Company purchased the site as a new nature reserve in 2000 and then sold the majority of the holding to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Just one other river widening or “braiding” project has been carried out in the UK.