As part of the mitigation for the construction of Weymouth’s Park and Ride, Dorset County Council’s Phil Stirling (The County Ecologist) and the Dorset Environment Team, very kindly gifted us a few days use of a slew and driver Andy Yeatman of Alaska Environmental. The purpose being to add hydrological features to the sedge beds to the north of Lodmoor, adjacent to the construction site. It was Andy who so expertly delivered our restoration on Radipole and is now back on site adding a few features here and there.
A couple of pools, ditches and scrapes have been added in the past week which should provide excellent habitat for amphibians and particularly inverts, which will make the area altogether richer for insectivorous birds. One can imagine it becoming very popular with migrants as it matures and chironomid (non-biting midge) numbers increase.
The above is an 'inverted substrate' pool which is created by excavating the vegetation and substrate and reversing it. Over time the buried vegetation will rot and create a depression which is great for invertebrates.
Thanks to both Phil and Andy for their efforts; collaboration must be the word of the week…