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| RSPB Hesketh viewing platform |
New pools
are being created at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh to help give nature a home and
provide more feeding areas for the reserve’s special nesting birds.
In a bid to
improve the site for birds such as lapwings, redshanks and avocets, shallow
ditches are being dug and dams installed to hold water. Land drains, which were
installed when the area was farmed, are also being removed to increase the
wetness of the site.
The work has
been made possible by a grant of £48,786 awarded by The Veolia Environmental
Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Tony Baker, RSPB Ribble Sites Manager, said:
“The work to retain some water on the marsh at low tide will make the site much
more attractive to wildlife and as a result, we hope to encourage more visitors
to come and see the incredible nature this area has to offer.
“Increasing
the wetness of the site is especially important in dry spells like we enjoyed
this year, when the wet edges will help the parent birds supply insects for
their hungry chicks to eat.”
The Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul
Taylor, added: “We support community and environmental
projects across the UK and it is great to hear that this scheme is going well.
I look forward to hearing about how the works are benefiting birdlife, and, in
turn, creating a wildlife haven for all to enjoy.”
The
work builds on the initial restoration of the site, which took place between
2006 and 2008. This saw the reserve transform from a featureless field into a
vibrant saltmarsh providing a home for a variety of wildlife.
Hesketh Out Marsh was
isolated from the estuary in 1980 by a private developer and was used for
growing crops until the RSPB purchased the land in 2006. Due to rising
sea levels, we urgently need to replace some of the saltmarsh being lost in the
UK. Every year an area the size of 140 football pitches (140 hectares)
disappears beneath the waves. In partnership with the Environment Agency,
we have restored the land to saltmarsh and pools. The tide is now free to
flow in and out twice daily. Soil taken from the restored creeks and pools has
been used to build stronger sea defences to protect homes and farmland inland.
The project has created more homes for wildlife and better protection from
flooding for people
The
restoration of Hesketh Out Marsh forms part of the Ribble Coast and Wetlands
Futurescape, an ambitious conservation project in which the RSPB is aiming to
work with a range of partners to create a network of linked wildlife havens
across the area.
For details about Hesketh Out Marsh visit www.rspb.org.uk/heskethoutmarsh.
For the latest news on Hesketh Out Marsh and other RSPB news in the North West,
visit
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