Words by Abi Scaife
‘Rewiggling’ is in, and helping to restore wildlife.
Sorry - ‘rewiggling’?
That’s right - ‘rewiggling’. Now, Smiley News has talked about rewilding before - we even have a great guide to what it is - but 'rewiggling' is a new one, even for us.
'Rewiggling' is a term coined by the RSPB who have helped to restore the Swindale Beck river to its former glory.
Nature is chaotic, and thrives on randomness - and rivers are a fantastic example of this. Rather than flowing in a straight line, they wiggle around, creating pockets of perfect habitat in their corners.
Tell me more.
The Swindale Beck has been straightened in the last 200 years, in an effort to encourage a faster water flow to the surrounding farmland. However, this straightness, and the speed of the river, has made it difficult for wildlife to make the river home.
The RSPB and its partners, including the water company that owns the land, have been digging at the river since 2016, adding important twists and turns.
The results have been immediate, with populations of salmon and trout skyrocketing - restoring the river to what it should always have been.
Plus, this sets a brilliant precedent for other rivers - and gives us a great new way to help restore nature!
If you want to support the RSPB and the team that ‘rewiggled’ the Swindale Beck, you can do so on the RSPB website.
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Climate Coalition. This is the UK's largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Find out more and support them here.
Climate Reframe. Climate Reframe is committed to supporting the climate and environment movement in its transformation towards greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). Find out more.
The Canal & Rivers Trust. The Rivers Trust are conservation experts who work to create wild, healthy, natural rivers. Support them here.
