Submitted by Jessica Haskell on Wed, 2020-10-28 10:16
The University’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), sets out our 10-year vision for the future of biodiversity across the University. As part of our ‘wetland and water’ actions within the BAP, we planned to establish an enhancement project at our Madingley Brickpits County Wildlife Site (CWS) located on the Madingley Estate. The CWS is currently in ‘unfavourable declining condition’ and work to improve the area in and around the ponds will help to ensure a more diverse habitat for wildlife.
Earlier this year, volunteers who wanted a change of scene and a socially-distanced activity, came together to complete practical work on the farm and wider estate. Among the volunteers were Di Ingham and Janette Lawrence who conducted a litter pick around Madingley Brickpits, collecting several sacks of rubbish from around these ponds.
The work of volunteers has been furthered by external funding. Working with Lucy Jenkins at the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), the University’s Rural Surveyor, Peter Wilderspin, has been able to obtain funding from Natural England to complete works on the northern pond at Madingley Brickpits. At the same time, works were completed on both southern ponds at the site.
Overtime, overhanging vegetation can reduce light levels in water courses as well as contribute to increased organic matter and silting up of the main body of water. This in turn can have a negative impact, particularly on aquatic wildlife. The work undertaken to reduce this problem could easily have been misinterpreted as highly destructive gardening, with large areas of scrub being cut back. And we do mean large! Tree shears were attached to a digger to tackle the monumental scrub clearance around these areas and plenty of discarded car tyres were removed from the undergrowth. The clearance will significantly improve light levels at the southern boundary and after a season, the vegetation will regrow, settling back into the space that has been made so it’s not as damaging as it appears!
Dredging of the ponds using mechanical diggers will help restore the ponds to their former glory. Spoil dredged from the ponds will be spread close to site which will ensure the most carbon efficient disposal.
This work marks the first large-scale improvements and enhancements made on the University estate as part of our 10-year BAP. Watch this space for updates on wildlife spotted on the site over the coming years.
To become more involved with biodiversity across the estate why not join our Yammer group or register an interest in biodiversity on our mailing lists?
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Written by Peter Wilderspin and Rachel Steward