Hello!
How are you today?
Nicole, the Warden, asked for some help yesterday - so I got my own personal truck tour of Wennington!
Well sort of - I had to drive... so not really a tour!
I have been on the off roading course so off we went in the tipping rain... Of all the days to get a tour... Ah well.
You might have seen the blogs about the works going on over on Wennington - we're creating a series of new shallow scrapes and drains across the marsh that would considerably enhance the marsh for wildlife (including our breeding and wintering birds, and a number of invertebrates)...
(If not, find out more about the project have a look here, news of the works going with a bang look here, and the latest news of the works 'x-marks the spot' click here)
The contractors have been busy creating these scrapes - and although really muddy channels, the difference from large flat fields with little wildlife and thinking what these will look like in a few months you can see how amazing this is going to be! (And you can see it from the river wall path)
This area is historically good for scarce emerald damselfly - they have used the ditch section that you can just about make out surrounded by tape. The works will provide a good ditch network tha the damselflies can use in the summer months (and fingers cross breed).
Even though it was tipping it down, and I was covered in mud just by sitting in the vehicle, it was great to see the changes so far, and the potential of what the area will look like by next season.
Rainham's Warden, Nicole
See I do get out of the office sometimes!
We had a great time having a look at the works and doing a few bits and bobs out there.
And just because I can, here are a few arty shots by our Site Manager Andrew Gouldstone...
Future plans...
Although we don't have any firm plans for the future (as it is dependent on funding), we do have a vision that we would like to work towards. This work that is currently being done is all because of funders, wanting to create new areas of suitable habitat for wildlife. There are lots of things on the reserve we would like to do or create, but as a charity unless extra funding becomes available we can only do so much (unless any of you are millionaires and would like to donate a big wadge of money for us to do some exciting stuff).
Over on Wennington this is a step to creating a better habitat for people as well as the wildlife. In time, we would like to open the area up in some way, with paths and possible viewing points - but that would mean more funding... And until we have a suitable breeding habitat, funders won't want to donate money to do that (and of course we wouldn't want to start people wandering through before the habitat has developed, it needs to settle in first) - so step by step we are getting there!
So keep your eyes pealed!
It's all good and exciting stuff!