Nick Carter, Conservation Officer (Fens)
NWT and the Environment Agency are working together to
create a new reedbed near the village of Potter Heigham.
Construction of the
reedbed and the internal, deep pools were completed last year.
Work by Matthew
Williams Digger Hire this year has seen work on the ditch network to carry
water from Hickling Broad to the site across NWT grassland.
Construction was
completed in mid-June but it won’t be until November that we can let water
through to the site, under licence. The aim is to raise the water level up to
sea level which should result in the flooding of much of the site to make it
suitable for reed establishment.
Reed planting was done in 2013 and last year. The former
reeds, around the internal perimeter ditch, have colonised well and should
start spreading out into the neighbouring fields as the site is wetted up.
Naturally-occurring reeds on the site, in the ditches along the field
boundaries, are already growing in the field margins. The reeds planted last
year have not fared so well. There has been some establishment along the new
internal pools but those planted within the fields have failed to grow. Many of
the reed plugs were found lying on the ground, either because they had been
pulled out by birds or had floated out when water levels were raised last
winter. These are being re-planted currently, with warning tape being draped
across the caged areas to deter birds from feeding on the reeds.
This winter,
water levels will be raised gradually and the reeds checked to make sure they
do not float out. If required a further
year of reed planting will be carried out next year to ensure rapid development
of the reedbed across the site.
No comments:
Post a Comment