WORK UNDERWAY TO ENHANCE HABITAT FOR LINCOLNSHIRE'S ONLY BREEDING CRANES

 

Adult and chick - the trust has high hopes of further breeding success

WORK has begun on a revamp of Willow Tree Fen in South Lincolnshire - one of the smallest nature reserves in Britain to host breeding cranes.

Contractors moved in on Monday both to reshape the reserve, owned by the county's wildlife trust, and to to create new visitor facilities.

In order to safeguard the cranes, the site has been closed to the public since January last year, but the Trust hope to reopen it in spring next year.

The work involves removing the central track in order to encourage water to flow across the land so as to enhance the habitat not just for the cranes but for other wetland birds.

Spoil from the track will be used to raise the car park to the level of the adjacent bridge, creating a raised area for the public that overlooks the whole reserve.

Eventually, the car park and a drain bank will provide a walk with viewpoints looking over the site, allowing people safely to enjoy the reserve and the birds, away from the road. 

New scrapes and pools close to this new viewing area will also be created.

All this means that the circular routes at Willow Tree Fen, which is not far from Spalding, will not reopen. 

Says a spokesperson for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust: "We are very aware of the implications for visitors, and this is not a decision that has been taken lightly. 

"However, wet have a clear duty to do what we can to maximise the chances of success for the cranes. 

"We have consulted widely over the best course of action, taking advice from the UK Crane Working Group, the RSPB and an expert with years of experience in working with breeding cranes." 

It is thought that the breeding cranes might not have arrived if it were not for the solitude that the first lockdown provided, and there is a risk that the birds would desert if the circular routes were reopened.

Adds the spokesperson: "The views across the reserve from the new viewpoint will be superb, offering great opportunities for watching wildlife."

* Photographs: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust

 

Track removal gets underway