Huge changes have been planned for a section of the River Trent as parcel delivery company has donated almost £100,000 to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to help support its work in restoring a sand and gravel quarry on the banks. The conservation charity is working on a flagship project in partnership with Tarmac regarding Langford Lowfields, near Newark.
The reserve covers 120 hectares and provides a haven for nature with the largest reedbed in the East Midlands at the heart of the site, surrounded by wildflower-rich meadows, blocks of scrub and an area of mature woodland. The area also has booming bitterns, brown hares, breeding bearded tits, marsh harriers, avocets, large flocks of wintering wildfowl and mesmerising starling murmurations.
To keep the reedbed healthy for the wildlife the water levels need to be managed, but this is currently hindered by failing sluices. DPD has donated £90,000 from its innovative Eco Fund to help the RSPB install two new, double-leaf penstock sluices, to ensure water levels can be accurately and efficiently controlled.
