Wildlife friends bring new life to Hull's urban dynamic drains.
| Published date | 28 March 2024 |
M2 PRESSWIRE-March 28, 2024-: Wildlife friends bring new life to Hull's urban dynamic drains
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RDATE:28032024
Two new mascots are helping bring to life the history and wildlife of a city centre urban watercourse.
A new history and wildlife trail across Hull's Beverley and Barmston Drain sees wildlife 'guides' Wendy the Water Vole and Percy the Perch help reconnect people to their natural environment.
The pilot project - along nine bridges across the drain - gives historical information and helps the community spot wildlife native to the location.
It also includes advice on how to go 'pond dipping' in the new Clough Road 'pocket park' - to encourage children and families to connect with the Drain and what lives beneath its surface.
The trail brings to life the work of 'Hull's Dynamic Drains', a partnership project with Groundwork Yorkshire, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Hull City Council that aims to improve the urban watercourse, boost wildlife habitats and encourage people to connect with and spend more time in their natural environment, as well as reducing littering and fly-tipping into Hull's watercourses.
The Environment Agency's Dan Jagucki said:
This pilot, part of Hull's Dynamic Drains, has cleaned up the Beverley and Barmston Drain and the surrounding areas, created new green spaces for people to enjoy and encouraged people to connect with nature right in the centre of an urban environment.
This is very much a community project and we hope the interactive trail - led by Wendy and Percy - will capture people's imagination and encourage them to get involved in the future of Hull's Dynamic Drains as we roll it out to other areas of the city.
Beverley and Barmston Drain runs for 4km through the city, including residential areas, retail and industrials areas. When the project started in 2020 the drain needed significant Environment Agency maintenance due to litter and fly tipping which causes blockages and increases flood risk in the city. There are signs that this is getting better, though still remains a challenge.
[pounds sterling]500,000 project brings multiple benefits
As well as the new history and wildlife trail, so far the [pounds sterling]500,000 project has:
* Used silt dredged from the channel to create areas on the bankside for easier access, as well as creating better habitats for fish.
* Created two new pocket parks - one at Clough Road retail area with picnic benches, a pond dipping platform, a cycle shelter...
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