Floodplain Forest
A section of the Ouse Valley Park at Old Wolverton is home to an innovative project to create an area of rare 'floodplain forest' habitat on a 48 hectare (120 acre) site of former grazing land.
The scheme involves the removal of underlying sand and gravel deposits, by The Parks Trust's project partner Hanson UK, to lower the land levels and allow the creation of new water channels, pools, marsh areas and small islands within the river floodplain. The remodelled landscape will then be carefully managed by The Parks Trust to develop into a rich and rare assemblage of wildlife habitats supporting a wide range of wildlife. It is the first project of its kind in the UK, where planning permission has been granted for mineral extraction specifically to create a new area of floodplain forest.
The restored area will include damp woodland, wet meadows, marshy areas, reed beds and mud flats set in a mosaic of small ponds, larger pools and flowing and meandering water channels. The restored landforms will include gravel banks, sand bars and low earth cliffs that will encourage wildlife diversity. In time the new ecosystem will mature to support a wide range of insects, amphibians, birds, fish and mammals, notably species such as otter and water vole.
The restoration works will also provide for public access to the area. The main riverside path along the Great Ouse has been protected and retained and a new network of paths, bridges, bird hides, wildlife information boards and boardwalks will be created.
Work on the project began in 2006 and the first extraction phase is now complete. The works will continue in a phased way until the extraction and landform restoration works are finished, which is anticipated to be during 2013.
The site will be handed back to The Parks Trust as each phase is completed, although the whole system of streams, pools and ponds will not operate in full until all phases are complete. The Parks Trust will carry out all planting, seeding and other habitat creation works to gradually help attract wildlife into the area. Over the winter of 2010/11 the first stage of planting took place with over 6,000 trees and shrubs being planted.
Hanson has a very successful track record in working sensitively with conservation bodies to deliver valuable wildlife habitats and leisure amenities following mineral extraction. The mineral workings undertaken at Ouse Valley Park will fully finance the creation of the floodplain forest, the provision of public access and the sites future maintenance.
