Work on Kingsbury’s Community Wetland began in February 2016, led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and the Country Parks Team. The project is part of the Tame Valley Wetlands Scheme and funded by Biffa Award, the Environment Agency, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Howard Victor Skan Charitable Trust.
The film below was created by Fresh FX during the earthworks and will be updated once the project has been completed, around September 2016. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to so far!
The wetland project will see the creation of reedbed, ponds and a sand martin bank, as well as the restoration of rare floodplain meadow, making a fantastic new home for wildlife on former waterlogged football pitches. It is hoped that priority conservation species will inhabit the site, from amphibians and birds, such as Snipe and Sand Martins, to mammals such as Otters and bats.
A new raised viewing platform with outdoor seating area will also be constructed, providing a vantage point for visitors to watch wildlife and acting as an outdoor classroom for local schools. The addition of a pond dipping platform will provide hours of fun for enquiring minds, investigating invertebrate life around the pond margins.
The Tame Valley Wetlands is a landscape partnership scheme, led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and funded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Their vision is to create a wetland landscape, rich in wildlife and accessible to all. Work includes conservation projects to restore heritage and enhance the area for wildlife, access improvements, training and volunteering opportunities, as well as a programme of exciting events and activities aimed at all ages and interests.