River Dee Guardians Ithaca Energy enjoyed spectacular weather for a day helping the River Dee Trust on the beautiful Abergeldie Estate on September 19.
Volunteers from Ithaca’s non-operated joint venture (NOJV) and exploration teams spent the morning removing the remnants of tree tubes from now-mature areas of tree planting near the Girnock Burn, by Ballater. In the afternoon, the team switched their focus to building Debris Dams in one of the minor channels that feeds into the Girnock.
Keilidh Ewan, education and outreach officer at the River Dee Trust explains why these tasks are so important.
"The time and effort by volunteers to undertake tasks like removing historic plastic tree guards is so valuable to the Trust. Without their removal and proper disposal, they can end up in the watercourse and eventually in the marine environment – which is detrimental to biodiversity. The Ithaca team removed several hundred tubes – significantly reducing the risk of plastic pollution in the Dee.
"They also took on a very different volunteering activity - building Debris Dams. These are small structures built with locally sourced natural materials such as logs and small branches, that can help to better manage high water flow conditions, holding back water in minor ditches and channels during floods and regulating water flow, even releasing water in times of drought.
"This was Ithaca’s second volunteering day since becoming River Dee Guardians and we are very much looking forward to meeting more of the team on future volunteering days."
Volunteer and exploration geologist at Ithaca Abbie Morrison added: "By our teams participating in this work, we not only contributed to the long-term health of the River Dee but also gained a deeper appreciation for the efforts required to maintain and protect this vital environment. The river and its catchment area are home to a variety of species, and this work has helped contribute to building a more resilient ecosystem so that these habitats continue to flourish.
"It was a productive day that highlighted the importance of preserving natural landscapes, and we’re proud to have played a part in safeguarding the River Dee for generations to come!"
To learn more about how your organisation can become a River Dee Guardian and enable world-leading conservation on your doorstep, contact claire@riverdee.org.