A green engineering solution by Ceredigion County Council, in partnership with Natural Resources Wales, has restored part of a river and created a better habitat for fish to spawn.

The narrow bridge over the Afon Aeron in Llangeitho has caused erosion problems for decades.

Previous efforts to solve the problem have only made things worse by creating a large gravel island and causing serious erosion upstream.

Some unwanted leylandii trees have been placed on the riverbank to prevent further erosion and two trees were partly inserted into the bank, the main trunks sticking out into the river, to divert the flow of the water.

This has created a natural barrier – called a “croy” – which protects the river bank and diverts the main river flow onto the gravel island.

This slowly reduces the gravel bed, creating pools for fish and leaving fine gravel which the fish need to spawn.

Anne Lewis, NRW geomorphology technical advisor, said: “This project is exciting because it has so many benefits.

“It uses our natural resources in a way that benefits the landowner and nature.

“The Aeron is an important spawning ground for sea trout, salmon and brown trout.

“Salmon and some sea trout populations in Welsh rivers are in serious decline and we have to do all we can, as soon as we can, to save them.

“We worked with Ceredigion council and the landowner to find a natural solution, working with the river, rather than trying to constrain it."

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday