Families get stuck in for new wetland (From Worcester News)

Families get stuck in for new wetland

7:10pm Monday 22nd June 2009 in

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THOUSANDS of reeds were planted over the weekend by volunteers creating a new wetland area in Pershore.

The event at Avon Meadows saw young and old volunteers and families don their wellies and wade through the mud to dig the small plants into the ground.

Eventually, the young plants will grow into a mature reed bed supporting wildlife.

Coun Andrew Dyke, chairman of Wychavon District Council, attended the event on Saturday and said: “I think it is extremely important for the local wildlife.

“This was just a bare field so to turn it into a big wildlife site is amazing and it will encourage more people to come here once they have got the boardwalk built.

“It is one of those great developments and it is a credit to everyone taking part in it.”

The project is part of a wider plan by the Wetlands West Partnership to restore large-scale floodplain wetlands along the Severn and Avon rivers.

The wetland at Avon Meadows covers 24 hectares (59 acres) of floodplain grassland and consists of newly created pools and ditches.

Not only will the reeds encourage different wildlife to the area, they will also reduce Pershore’s contribution to flooding and improve water quality in the river Avon.