River and Rural is an experienced marine civils and environmental contractor that became part of Ground Control in 2024.

Together, the businesses create climate resilience on UK waterways for people and nature, maintain some of the most ecologically sensitive habitats in the UK, and sustain critical civil infrastructure for people and the economy.

Our waterbody and wetland restoration and creation services will improve biodiversity, protect revenue, and improve water quality.

  • Creation of wetland splashes and wet woodlands
  • Marine and adjacent land habitat creation and enhancement
  • Weir removal
  • Installation of woody debris
  • Installation of gravel berms
  • Installation or pre-planted coir rolls and matting
  • Design of restoration schemes
  • Re-wilding
  • Bank restoration and associated works

Supporting infrastructure of land surrounding marine areas and wetlands.

  • Canal and river lock and lock gate refurbishment
  • Canal and river lock drain down and inspection
  • Historic lock and building refurbishment (listed structures)
  • Sluice gate construction/maintenance
  • Demolition
  • Flood defense civils (marine or land-based)
  • Culvert construction and maintenance
  • Flap and gate valve installation and maintenance
  • Access road construction and maintenance
  • Footpath and cycleway construction and maintenance
  • Mooring construction and maintenance
  • Confined space inspection and works
  • Cofferdam construction
  • Flood defense infrastructure
  • Full suite of groundworks

We support our existing infrastructure works across canals, railways, motorways, and energy sites. Increasing our capacity on rivers, riverbanks, and waterways, through: 

Vegetation management for marine plants on adjacent land and riverbanks including: 

  • In-water tree clearance
  • Aquatic weed harvesting and clearance
  • Site clearance and preparation
  • Tree planting
  • Mulching and flailing
  • Enabling work

Tree works to ensure safety, and access and to allow a range of species to flourish:

  • Dangerous tree fells
  • Pollarding
  • Coppicing
  • Crown reduction
  • Windblown tree removal

Adding marine expertise to our award-winning SuDS (sustainable urban drainage), FAS (flood alleviation), and wetland creation schemes.

Our essential water retention works help alleviate flooding, relieve pressure on water catchments, and create new habitats

  • Re-wilding
  • Creation of wet woodland
  • Weir removal
  • Habitat creation
  • Reservoir construction, maintenance, and de-silting
  • Irrigation storage tanks (above and below ground)

We work on wetland and river banks to stabilise and combat the risk of erosion and banks collapsing.

 Specialist works include: 

  • Steel sheet piling
  • Tubular piling
  • Bank revetments
  • Bank stabilisation

We create SUDs (sustainable urban drainage systems) and drainage solutions to improve water quality and reduce the risk of flooding. 

Our ecologists and nature-recover experts provide sound ecological advice, wildlife surveys, and pragmatic solutions.

  • Ecological surveys including water vole surveys with Natural England displacement license
  • Bathymetric surveys
  • Hydrological surveys
  • Aerial surveys including LIDAR and hydrocarbon detection
  • Tree surveys
  • Bridge surveys
  • Culvert and drainage surveys

To enquire about our marine civils, wetland restoration, and maintenance services, please submit your details below.

Book a call with our River and Rural team

News

Out with ash dieback, in with biodiversity

Restoring an Anglian Water site back to a biodiverse nature reserve
Case Study

Headstone Manor Recreational Grounds

Awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) award for ‘Nature Conservation & Biodiversity Enhancement’
Blog

The restoration of Wetlands

We explore wetlands, their risks and their importance for #WorldWetlandsDay

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