Back to nature
May Gurney has played a key role in putting land on the banks of the River Witham back to nature through a joint project between the Environment Agency (EA), Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Lincolnshire County Council.
The newly created Fiskerton Fen Reserve was officially opened in July 2006, and to mark the event local children from Fiskerton Primary School took part in a 'mini-beast' hunt to see what sort of creepy-crawlies had made their way into the reserve.
During 2002/2003, May Gurney extracted 80,000 cubic metres of clay from the site of the reserve to improve flood defences along nearby stretches of the River Witham in Lincolnshire. The clay was moved by barge on the river to minimise road traffic.
May Gurney has been working in partnership with the EA since 2001 to improve the flood defences of the Lower Witham in Lincolnshire. The work has involved raising and strengthening flood embankments over 30km, and the provision of erosion protection.
Once extraction was complete, the restoration works began. May Gurney first shaped the reserve to maximise the amount of habitat, before creating a mooring area for two or three boats, and then constructing a bird hide in the style of an Iron Age roundhouse, car parking and footpaths.
Lesley Clarke, from the EA, said: "Returning areas like this back to nature is an important way for us to encourage the rich variety of plants and animals we have in this country."
The reserve, which covers about seven hectares, has been created with the
help of European funding and can be reached from the road and the River
Witham. It is hoped that endangered species such as the bittern, a type of
heron, and various dragonflies will eventually inhabit the reserve. Greater
water parsnip, once common in Lincolnshire but now almost extinct, has been
planted in the new wetland area.
Dave Bromwich, Assistant Director (Reserves) for the Lincolnshire Wildlife
Trust said: "It has been very exciting to see how this project has developed
from a bare field into such a promising wildlife area. The pit has an area
of open water suitable for a range of wildfowl and wading birds and is also
being colonised with reeds. The developing coarse grass and scrub will
provide a home for a host of farmland birds such as yellowhammer, tree
sparrow, linnet, turtle dove and grey partridge.
"Birdwatchers have already started recording an impressive species list and
insect watchers have seen good numbers of a variety of dragonflies and
butterflies. The site will get even better as the habitat matures."
Cllr Eddy Poll, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development & Tourism at
Lincolnshire County Council said: " A really positive use has been found for
the clay pit that benefits both wildlife & visitors. The County Council is
delighted to have been involved."
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