Oxfordshire’s Adderbury Lakes is a much-loved local nature reserve, attracting both village walkers and photographers keen to capture the beauty of the setting. Specimen trees and wildlife such as kingfishers and herons grace the eighteenth-century landscaped pools and waterfalls, but now the lakes face an important milestone in its history.
Over the decades, leaf material falling into the lakes has resulted in an excessive build up of silt. Without action, the tranquil pools could degenerate into bogs within five years. As silt dries it encourages weed growth, creating a surface that significantly reduces biodiversity and could be hazardously unstable.
The Adderbury Lakes Local Nature Reserve Management Committee is responsible for the management of the Lakes, as well as preserving both the beauty of the site and the biodiversity and integrity of the surrounding area. The challenge of finding a long-term solution to preserve this compact, sensitive site, difficult to access with large machinery, has been a real concern.
In order to preserve the lakes, the Committee has set up a de-silting project that will also see large areas of marginal plants and woodland wildflowers planted using silt dredged from the pond as a substrate.
Diane Bratt, Chairman of the Committee, is delighted with the start of a fresh new era for the Lakes. "It's really exciting to see this project taking shape. The Lakes Committee have planned this for a long time and we hope to revitalise the Lakes area by increasing the biodiversity. We are all very enthusiastic about how this will add to the enjoyment of the Lakes for everyone who visits."
Group photo L-R:
Sue Marchand
Sheila Wallington
Mike Stretton
Nick Hartley
Sir Tony Baldry
Diane Bratt
Keith Marshall
Mike Stretton
