THE HEN Brook which runs through the Christopher Cadbury Westland Reserve in Upton Warren will be restored to its former glory by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (WWT), writes Ben Workman.
The restoration will involve fixing the gentle meanders that fed into the brook, allowing marginal plants like water mint and pink water-speedwell to colonise and provide cover for fish, dragonflies and nymphs.
The Hen Pool has become dominated by common reads.
The work will be completed in three steps, the first will be to restore Hen Brook which over time has become ‘canalised’, then the Hen Pool will be dredged and the work will finally be completed after the creation of a new shallow scrape nearby.
Picture by Philip Moore. s
The final stage of the project will see a shallow scrape and a swampy area created which will provide a tranquil paradise for shy birds like the green sandpiper, water rail, snipe as well as banded demoiselle and water voles.
WWT officer, Eleanor Reast said it was a fantastic opportunity to improve the area to help wildlife at what was a wonderful nature reserve.
“Ultimately it would be great to think that as well as benefiting the birdlife here, we’ll also attract water voles.”
The funding increase from Severn Trent’s Boost for Biodiversity scheme has made the work possible and aims to improve water quality and wildlife.
Picture by Pete Walkden. s
Work begins next Monday September 16, avoiding both the bird-breeding season as well as the arrival of birds to the nature reserve.
Visit www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk for more information.
