The Parks Trust is marking the tenth anniversary of the Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve, located in Old Wolverton, Milton Keynes.
A decade of wetland creation
This reserve was established on land previously used for industrial gravel extraction. Some older residents may recall the site as agricultural fields before the extraction began.
Since 2007, The Parks Trust has dedicated itself to transforming 48 hectares of the valley floor. This extensive project has resulted in a complex network of interconnected lakes, shallow pools, scrapes, channels, and gravel islands.
These features are designed to recreate the natural environment of a floodplain forest, mirroring what the landscape might have resembled before the Bronze Age, approximately 5,000 years ago.
Responding to environmental change
The inspiration for the Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve stemmed from a combination of modern agricultural practices and recent significant flood events, exacerbated by climate change. The Trust also considered the historical evolution of the landscape.
In addition to the wetland habitats, sections of the riverbank have been lowered. Certain land areas have also been reduced in height to facilitate the river’s natural reconnection with its floodplain.
A haven for wildlife
The Floodplain Forest is now a vibrant nature reserve and a popular destination within Milton Keynes. It provides a crucial habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Wintering wildfowl such as teal, wigeon, gadwall, and shoveler can be found here. The reserve also supports breeding waders like lapwing and redshank. Mammals such as otters and birds of prey like barn owls are present, alongside grass snakes and diverse dragonfly populations.
As the ecological conditions mature, experts anticipate the reserve will benefit an even wider array of species over time. This includes specialists in wet woodland and a continuously growing diversity of wetland flora and fauna.
The Parks Trust aims for the reserve to develop organically, adapting to the river’s natural movements. This dynamic process is intended to encourage new species to thrive and for the area to evolve from an open landscape of lakes into a genuine floodplain forest with increasingly dense tree cover.
This story is based on reporting by MKFM. Read the original coverage: MKFM