Lake View Park Restoration Enhancements

Lake View Park restoration enhancements completed

During the week beginning 13th July, the Sherbourne Valley Project carried out a series of small snagging works at Lake View Park to further improve the river restoration work completed earlier this year.

River restoration is a long-term process, and as restored habitats settle and respond to changing weather conditions, it is common to identify opportunities for small improvements. These follow-up works help ensure that new habitats function as intended and continue to provide the greatest possible benefits for wildlife and visitors.

All works were completed by Friday 18th July.

Helping a seasonal wetland hold water

One of the improvements focused on one of the new wetland scrapes created during the restoration works.

The scrape was designed as a seasonal wetland, providing valuable habitat for amphibians and aquatic invertebrates. However, monitoring showed that the feature was draining more quickly than expected and was not retaining water to function effectively.

To address this, a natural clay-based material called bentonite was mixed as a layer into the central part of the scrape. This creates a more watertight layer beneath the surface while still allowing the scrape to look and behave naturally.

The improvement should allow the scrape to hold water for longer after rainfall allowing the feature to function as intended, creating more seasonal habitat for wildlife while still naturally drying out during parts of the year.

Improving a wildlife pond

The team also carried out work around one of the ponds near Grayswood.

During monitoring, we discovered that old land drainage pipes beneath the ground were allowing water to escape from the pond. These historic drains were carefully located and removed, helping the pond retain more water throughout the year.

Maintaining more consistent water levels will improve conditions for aquatic plants, amphibians and the many invertebrates that depend on permanent wetland habitats.

Better access for visitors

The final improvement focused on making the park easier to enjoy.

Although the large pond has become a fantastic new wildlife habitat, the ground behind it gets particularly wet during periods of rainfall, making the path difficult to use.

To improve access, a new underground drainage pipe was installed alongside the rear of the pond. This drainage will collect excess surface water from the surrounding ground, helping to reduce muddy conditions while preserving the wetland habitat itself.

As a result, visitors should find it much easier to walk around the pond, particularly during the wetter autumn and winter months.

Restoration is an ongoing journey

The works carried out in July are a good example of how river restoration continues long after the machinery has left site.

By monitoring how habitats develop over time, we can identify small adjustments that help nature thrive while ensuring parks remain welcoming places for people to enjoy.

As the wetlands, ponds and restored river continue to mature over the coming years, they will become increasingly valuable habitats for wildlife and an even greater asset for the local community.

We'd like to thank everyone for their patience while these works were taking place and look forward to seeing Lake View Park continue to flourish.

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