Meeting the challenges of urban river habitat restoration: developing a methodology for the River Thames through central London

Abstract

The River Thames is a heavily engineered urban system in recovery, though absence of habitat in the reaches through central London has restricted recovery in this area, making habitat creation or improvement a restoration priority. Here we discuss the pre‐disturbance Thames, its current ecological status, and then present a methodology for establishing habitat restoration potential through central London. Habitats primarily supporting ecological communities include inter‐tidal foreshore and artificial structures, and novel techniques for improving these habitats are under development. It is hoped that such approaches along the Thames will provide a template for habitat creation along other large urban rivers.