Tees Tidelands, UK – restore, reconnect, realign

The Tees estuary, in north-east England, is one of the most heavily modified and developed estuaries in the UK, with less than 10% of the original intertidal habitats remaining. The few remaining natural areas of the estuary are dominated by hard flood defences, industrial quaysides and tidal barriers. These features all prevent natural expansion of the estuary. Tees Tidelands is an estuary-wide programme to open up the tributaries to tidal influence, to enable fish passage, re-establish parts of the natural estuary and permit inland migration of the estuary. This will maintain and improve resilience to flood risk through nature-based solutions. The £30 million Environment Agency’s Tees Tidelands programme comprises ten projects and strives to: restore the natural habitat; reconnect people to the estuary, while being resilient to the impact of climate change; realign the estuary, allowing for coastal expansion. This article will set the tone for engineers to be focused on working with the environment, to create a better place.