Restoration Project

BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS ENTERS THE NEW ERA

Since early September Beddington Farmlands has been undergoing a restoration that will have a large and positive impact on the future of wildlife in the area. Both the southern scrape bordering Beddington Park and the main lake are being subjected to a major transformation and we are optimistic that the restoration will deliver significant benefits to wildlife and the local community.

The old southern scrape will become a lake with a width of 400 metres and a depth of 3 metres. The southern part where a tributary of the the Wandle enters the lake will have a fairly extensive reedbed. A key focus underpinned by the original Conservation Management Plan will be to attract breeding Redshank and Lapwing. Hopefully, protection will be given against disturbance to the important wildlife which will use this area whilst affording the local community a better chance of viewing locally and nationally important bird species.

The main lake is now being drained with a large bund across the middle section to facilitate access for large diggers to work on the lake. The vegetation on the northern and southern shores has now been cleared. Many members of the group will remember the many hours spent clearing these areas over the years only to see it return with a vengeance the following year. The status of the various islands in the lake is uncertain but we hope a larger area of water will be provided. Crucial to the long term attractiveness of this lake to wildlife will be water level management.

For these two areas that are undergoing restoration, there is a lot of optimism. However, any restoration will only be able to deliver significant long term benefits if it is associated with an ongoing maintenance programme, carried out by experts in the field of conservation management. If London Borough of Sutton delivers on its commitments to the Conservation Management Plan for the site, there is no reason why local residents and the wider population cannot expect to see Beddington Farmlands entering an exciting new era..