The Middle Dee Project
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Much work remains to be done. Habitat for salmon within the burns and tributaries is still deteriorating as a result of pressures from road maintenance, forestry and farming. Silt continues to enter the burns from roads, forestry clearance, trampling by cattle at poorly constructed watering's and from erosion of the river bank. Ditching and draining activities are adding to the silt load and silt traps are clogging up. Despite the improvements brought about by the LIFE project and the Rural Stewardship scheme, damage to the burns is still taking place. The damage is often not intended and caused by lack of knowledge. In some cases harmful activities are encouraged by current rural policies. These burns are of utmost importance to spawning and juvenile salmon and to freshwater pearl mussels and they must not be allowed to deteriorate further.
