River restoration: what are we restoring to? a case study of the Ravensbourne river, London

State of the art techniques are now being developed to restore our rivers to improve their ecological and conservation value, as well as enhancing their amenity and recreation potential. This study focuses upon the restoration of a small section of the Ravensbourne River in a suburban park near London (Queen's Mead Recreation Ground), which was channelized in the 1970s for the purposes of flood control. As well as reviewing the current status and progress in river restoration, and the feasibility of carrying out such works, the paper asks "what are we restoring to"? Is it to a rural pre twentieth century river character, or are we creating a controlled version of nature? The history of the river is examined along with possible options for restoration. Finally, results from two public perception surveys are outlined which indicate substantial support for restoration. The paper also raises the question of whether the term 'restoration' is an appropriate one to use.