Powerlines rerouted to protect wildlife in Newton Abbot

A major rewiring job through a Newton Abbot nature reserve has provided an opportunity to give wildlife a welcome boost with the reinstatement of a former reedbed – a natural habitat for creatures including Harvest mice, otters and various species of birds.

Jetty Marsh Nature Reserve in Newton Abbot has re-established a long dried-up reedbed after Teignbridge Council secured £500 of funding from Western Power Distribution’s Community Support Scheme as part of its plans for overhead power lines to be re-routed underneath the Reserve.

Teignbridge Council Ranger Leo Henley-Lock arranged the reedbed project, with the Environment Agency contributing an additional £1,000 to support it and Teignbridge Council putting £550 to the scheme. The reedbed will help provide a habitat for species specifically identified in county-wide plans to support biodiversity.

The work to re-route overhead power lines needs to be completed by Western Power Distribution soon, and will mean a short closure of the site from today (Monday, September 13) for approximately two weeks. As part of the company’s Community Support Scheme, Rangers were able to secure funding in advance for the reedbed project, which has seen lower ground levels excavated in one portion of the Reserve.

Now a reedbed, which had previously silted-up, is starting to re-establish itself as a popular habitat for local wildlife. A new small pool has also been dug as part of the project, helping to bring even more wildlife to the site.

The reedbed will soon be planted with pieces of reed to speed the re-establishment, and local people will be welcome to help with the job.

A date is being fixed for the work, and anyone who would like information on how to help with this or many other habitat management days run by the Rangers check the council’s website, or ring 01626 215751

Reedbed is so important to wildlife that it’s been designated as a specific target across Devon as part of a county wide Biodiversity Action Plan. Reedbeds support everything from tiny Harvest mice to Otters – as well as a whole host of birds like Reed warbler from Africa and resident rarity the Cettis warbler.

(from a press release)

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