The conclusion of Grantham’s Witham Slea Blue Green Corridor environmental improvement project was celebrated in Wyndham Park on Saturday.
Partners, sponsors and contractors in the ambitious £1.23m environmental improvement programme gathered to mark the final phases of habitat improvements along the town’s river corridor.
It was also an opportunity for South Kesteven District Council’s project team and expert partners to answer any remaining concerns and questions over wetland proposals in Queen Elizabeth Park.
Cllr Patsy Ellis, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Waste said: “This is a brilliant project producing major long-term environmental benefits for nature, wildlife and park users.
“We believe that with nature in crisis, this is a balanced approach to retaining most of the parkland for our enjoyment but also giving back to nature to support the wildlife corridor.
“Our extensive consultation in 2021 had overwhelmingly positive feedback. It did, however, reveal public concern over potential loss of parkland through wetland creation proposals.
“We therefore reduced our original proposals and are now simply creating three ponds as valuable habitat, amounting to just one per cent of the 25-acre park area. They will be groundwater fed, so will only fill when the water table is high.
“The ponds have also been moved further away from the river, again in response to park users’ views, and proposed wildflower meadows will be re-sited to the rear of the ponds.
“Signs are now installed to explain what’s happening and the contractor’s public liaison representative has been on-site answering questions from park users.
“We apologise for any disruption for dog walkers during the work, but access is only restricted until it’s finished at the end of June.”
Saturday’s event featured information boards illustrating the 14 different Witham Slea Blue Green projects, ten in Grantham and four in Sleaford, and a giant personalised cake from Grantham baker Nan’s Nice Cakes.
Children’s wood workshops proved popular, with 50 youngsters assembling and taking away wooden wall plaques featuring owls, otters, bees and kingfishers. Hundreds of free goodie bags were also distributed with children’s activities and seed bombs.
Visitors watched expert wood sculptor Danny Thomas use a chainsaw to carve an oversized water vole from a chunk of eastern red cedar, to be displayed in the park. Water voles are just one species set to benefit from the improved river habitat.
Cllr Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, Chairman of the Witham Slea Partnership Board, said: “The River Witham, its riverside and connecting parks are valuable and accessible assets and South Kesteven District Council is proud to have worked with experts in their field to deliver such wide-ranging habitat improvements.
“We all know how vital the environment is, and our project has been truly impressive in its ambition and scale.”
Projects have included berms installed in the river by volunteers to improve water flow, wildflower planting, hedgerow creation, wildlife habitat improvements, water meadow creation and fishing access.
South Kesteven District Council has been the lead authority in the project funded by the European Regional Development Fund, working in partnership with North Kesteven District Council, the Environment Agency and National Trust.
https://www.withamsleabluegreencorridor.co.uk/
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