Bury Water Meadows Group projects
Our activities involve a mixture of practical conservation work in-river and on the riparian land; the development of new paths along the Lark; and policy work to address the threats and challenges our green spaces face – in particular our rivers (which should not be green but often are). The list below gives outlines each activity, with links to more detail.
No Mans Meadow
Implementing maintenance & management plan with WSC for habitat creation and possible future Local Nature Reserve designation
Creation of water vole habitat through deepening ditch inundated by the Lark to be permanently wet
The Crankles
Maintenance of saplings, the meadows both sides of Kevelaer Way, the Lark and Linnet river banks
Abbey Gardens bankside East (St James’s side)
Maintenance for biodiversity
Longer term: to tie in with Heritage Partnership plans
Abbey Gardens bankside West (within the grounds, from footbridge to Abbots Bridge)
Maintenance of gabions and wildflower turf
Ram Meadow management
Implementing 7-year management plan in conjunction with WSC
Working for Local Nature Reserve designation
Lark Valley Path: Fornham Rd A14 bridge to Tollgate section
BWMG have funded “ransom strip” missing path section
SCC are ready to design/develop path and legally designate
Awaiting WSC consultation with residents
River Flow & Water Quality
Policy work to tackle chronic over-abstraction of the aquifer
Anglian Water have new plan to augment flow
Policy work to tackle pollution from farming and sewage works
Invasive species
Removal of himalayan balsam along the Lark and Linnet
Biodiversity surveying
Recording which species are present, training to help other volunteers carry out successful recording
Green space protection/planning control
Policy work on planning issues including monitoring planning applications, in particular the proposed Abbots Vale development