A six-week long Environment
Agency project to restore a stretch of the
River Wandle at Poulter Park gained some
extra pairs of hands last week when
a group of Carillion workers, enlisted by
the London Wildlife Trust, donated a day
to help out.
The group of twelve
enthusiastic volunteers rolled up their
sleeves on Wednesday 24 February to clear
vegetation and shrubs away from the river
banks. They laboured alongside Environment
Agency contractors JT Mackley, who are working
along the stream putting measures in place
to restore the fragile habitat of the River
Wandle.
Environment Agency project
manager Peter Solomon said: “This is a great
example of organisations working together.
This Environment Agency led project, with
help from contractors, consultants, the
London Wildlife Trust and Carillion, is
invaluable in helping to maintain the River
Wandle as a vital chalk stream habitat.
“We are also very proud
to say that all the timber used in construction
is sustainable, sourced on site or from
nearby Environment Agency projects, reducing
our carbon footprint and making good use
of the materials we already have.”
London Wildlife Trust’s
Water for Wildlife Project Officer Claire
Shahbazian added: “The River Wandle was
once home to the endangered water vole,
but the loss of suitable habitat has caused
them to disappear. River restoration works
such as this are vital to increasing biodiversity
and will contribute significantly to our
aim of improving the habitat so we can bring
water voles back.
“This is only possible
through collaborative working and London
Wildlife Trust is delighted to work with
the Environment Agency and Carillion on
this project. Both organisations are long-standing
supporters of London Wildlife Trust’s water
vole work and their ongoing support is essential
to the future return of water voles to the
Wandle.”
Why does the work need
to be carried out?
Chalk streams like the River Wandle contain
a unique habitat for wildlife due to their
natural features; clear and fast flowing
water over clean gravel. The river has suffered
historically from insensitive engineering
works and poor water quality leading to
a reduction in the speed and clarity of
the water that has affected the type of
habitats and wildlife that can exist there.
To combat these changes,
chalk stream restoration measures are being
put into place at Poulter Park. The river
channel will be narrowed to increase the
flow of water. Environment Agency contractors
will be working in the stream on a number
of measures, including constructing islands
and causeways, and laying brushwood mattresses
along the riverbed.
This work will improve
the river gravel beds and allow aquatic
vegetation to establish and create improved
spawning grounds for fish. Additional benefits
provided by a faster and clearer river include
the establishment of riverside plants, providing
shelter for young fish during high river
flows and the blossoming of aquatic invertebrates.
Planting of wetland plants will also provide
food, shelter and resting grounds for birds,
fish and insects.
The footpath running
adjacent to Poulter Park and the River Wandle
has been diverted as a temporary measure.
Diversion signs will be clearly displayed,
and work will be completed with the aim
of minimal disruption. The project is expected
to be completed by April 2010.
Ends
Notes to editors:
Photographs of the volunteer work are available.
Please contact the Environment Agency Thames
press office for information on 0118 953
5555.
The project has been
funded with support from Thames Water.
The London Wildlife
Trust works in partnership with corporate
organisations to provide working days for
staff. For more information on this please
contact Sharon Coleman, Corporate Partnership
Manager on 020 7803 4297
To find out more about
London Wildlife Trust’s work or for information
on how to become a supporter of London Wildlife
Trust go to www.wildlondon.org.uk
Carillion plc is one
of the UK's leading support services and
construction companies, employing around
50,000 people.
+ More
Environment Agency prepares
to remove predatory pike from Cornish pond
The once tranquil waters
of Par Duck Pond near St Blazey have been
disturbed by hungry pike that are chomping
their way through the local fish population
The pike are causing
alarm to local anglers who have asked the
Environment Agency to remove them from the
site - a popular wildlife area and public
open space owned and managed by Cornwall
Council.
‘There are very few
pike waters in Cornwall and certainly none
at Par duck pond until a couple of months
ago. We believe they have been introduced
and their numbers are now getting out of
hand,’ said Robert Hurrell for the Environment
Agency.
Anglers are catching
roach, rudd, tench and other fish only to
have them torn off the end of their line
by hungry pike as they are reeling them
in. Fishermen have reported seeing pike
ranging in size from 2 lb to around 15 lb.
The pond is fast gaining
a reputation as a place to fish for pike
and instead of anglers turning up at the
water’s edge with maggots and bread for
bait, people have been seen fishing for
pike with special lures.
In some lakes and ponds
pike supplement their diet with the occasional
duckling or water vole and will even eat
other pike. Equipped with razor-sharp teeth
and a remarkable turn of speed, these stream-lined
predators are highly efficient killers.
Agency fisheries officers
believe the pike population at Par duck
pond could further increase and spread to
other waters unless steps are taken to remove
them. The Tywardreath Stream, a tributary
of the River Par, flows through the middle
of the pond providing the newcomers with
the means to populate other sites in Cornwall.
‘These fish are not
native to Cornwall and have been illegally
introduced. The movement of coarse fish
is strictly controlled under Section 30
of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act
1975 to prevent the spread of harmful fish
diseases and introduction of potentially
damaging alien fish species,’ said Robert
Hurrell.
Next Tuesday (March
16) Agency fisheries officers will visit
Par duck pond and remove the pike using
electro fishing equipment. The pond will
be divided into compartments with nets and
the pike captured and removed. Checks will
be carried out on a sample of the fish to
discover whether they are carrying any harmful
diseases or parasites. If given a clean
bill of health they will be moved to a suitable
new location.
