South Elmsall wastewater wetland donates plants to North Yorkshire charity

As Yorkshire Water’s South Elmsall wastewater treatment works wetland project nears completion, the utility donates some of the plants from its ‘nature-based solution’ to another one - the Howardian Hills National Landscape’s ‘Forgotten Flora’ project.

The South Elmsall wastewater wetland is a nature-based solution designed to treat storm flows during heavy and prolonged rainfall. The wetland project has helped to reduce storm overflows discharging into Frickley Beck – a tributary of the river Don.

The 30,000m2  (or five football pitches) of interconnected ponds have been planted with 220,000 plants that treat 440 l/s of diluted storm and wastewater as it travels through the wetland. Pollutants and nutrients, such as Phosphorus, are broken down and digested by the plants and natural bacteria.

Construction partners Eric Wright Water are nearing completion of the nature-based solution (NBS) that provides both a sustainable and energy-efficient way of treating water and biodiverse habitat, attracting a wide range of wildlife such as bees and other pollinators, breeding birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Adam Tunnicliffe, nature-based solutions project manager, Yorkshire Water, said: “Yorkshire Water is actively implementing nature-based solutions to find green solutions for wastewater treatment, flood management and increasing biodiversity. South Elmsall is one of our flagship works, as well as Ilkley, Clifton and Clayton West, to adopt this low-carbon, climate-resilient alternative to wastewater treatment.

“Following the successful bedding in of over 200,000 wetland plants, we were keen to find a good home so that nature-based benefits can be extended. We are very pleased to donate a large number of aquatic bunches of bare root plants, Lillies and plug plants to Howardian Hills National Landscape’s ‘Forgotten Flora’ project.”

Howardian Hills National Landscape covers 204 sq km (79 sq miles) of the North Yorkshire countryside, between the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Vale of York. This unique area of well-wooded rolling countryside, arable and pasture fields, was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1987, in recognition of its national landscape importance. It is part of the National Landscapes network.

The Forgotten Flora scheme is a project to revive threatened flora in North Yorkshire. It has planted over 15,000 plants of lesser-known wildflower species over the last two years. Currently funded by the Howardian Hills National Landscape the scheme has worked with over 100 volunteers to help restore the precious flora in areas such as the Yorkshire Arboretum, Crayke Community Fields, Hovingham village and Howsham Mill.

Ellie Hook, manager of the Howardian Hills National Landscape, said: “We are delighted that Yorkshire Water has donated these plants for the scheme. Wildflowers have suffered serious declines over many decades with knock on impacts for biodiversity, so projects like Forgotten Flora are vitally important. Some of the donated species will be planted within the Howardian Hills, whilst others will be forwarded to other landscapes. Wildflowers like Water Plantain, Marsh Marigold and Water Mint are very much part of the countryside, but can also help mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall and soil erosion. It’s good to be working together to make a difference in the countryside.”

Experts estimate that 97% of the UK’s wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s with some species suffering critical declines. That’s had a huge impact on bees, butterflies and soil quality. Howardian Hills National Landscape are working with volunteers planting them across North York Moors and Howardian Hills National Landscape, as part of their Forgotten Flora project.