Posted May 1, 2019 in All
In March 2018, we decided to try and improve one of the wetland areas on the reserve. This area on our southern boundary and next to the river was once used as a crop circle growing Rye. Over the years it’s held a good amount of water in the summer months and there was a pump that could pump water onto the rye field from the river. This pump was using mains electricity and so was very expensive to run and therefore not used very often.
In April 2018, we purchased a solar pump to do the job of keeping the water on the rye field during the winter months as well topping up the rainfall from the summer months. Over the next few months we built a float for the pump to sit on the river, erected the solar panels and built a dam wall.
It’s now been running nearly a year and it’s showing significant improvements to the area.
We have been very fortunate to have good rainfall this season as well and with the work we have done, we’re holding a huge amount of water now going into winter.
We’ve also built a new viewing hide and the interns have been enjoying watching all sorts of wildlife and birdlife from this discrete spot.
