The Coney Meadow project began early 2025 and works needed to finish before late-winter’s nesting season. Mission complete.
Led by Wychavon District Council and the Canal & River Trust, efforts included a complete restoration of the site’s reed bed and enhancements to existing biodiversity scores. Marine specialists The Rothen Group acted as delivery partner.
Reeds discarded during urgently needed maintenance work to the badly overgrown landscape were reused to enhance local ecology in other corners of the area. A number of other steps were taken to improve Coney Meadow for wildlife, including removal of overgrown reeds, allowing existing plants to breathe and introducing more light into the water body, promoting more diverse species to thrive.
Elsewhere, an existing overspill structure, which connected wetlands with the local canal, was blocked with silt. The idea being to increase the existing water table making more space for underwater life. Six brand new ponds were also dug, varying in size and depth, each incorporating shelves to create different levels within the water, creating different microhabitats.
Scrapes were also introduced – shallow depressions of 2.5m that collect water throughout the year and serve as feeders for local birds. As we hibernacula, providing homes for hibernating animals during winter. Waste reeds were among the materials employed during this stage of the process, alongside soil and five trees which were felled during the project. This is intended to offer sanctuary to species such as grass snakes and hedgehogs.
‘With a tight deadline to complete the work ahead of the upcoming nesting season, our team worked incredibly hard to action the Council and Trust’s plans and create the new spaces for animals and plants to thrive,’ said Charlotte Rothen, Director and ecologist at The Rothen Group said.
‘Our team was able to utilise every shred of waste generated throughout the project and repurpose it so nothing had to be transported away and disposed of – a significant benefit for all,’ she continued.’While we will have to wait until next year to see the true impact of the project, I believe it is safe to say that the next regional survey will showcase a significant rise in the biodiversity present at Coney Meadow.’
Image: Chandler Cruttenden / Unsplash
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