'Wildlife paradise' plans at Weymouth Wetlands take shape (From Dorset Echo)

'Wildlife paradise' plans at Weymouth Wetlands take shape

11:30am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in News By Martin Lea

WILDLIFE lovers are to build an otter holt as the next phase of work gets underway at a reserve in Weymouth.

The RSPB has finished the first phase of the £685,000 restoration of the Weymouth Wetlands reserve at Radipole.

Autumnwatch presenter Chris Packham has described the work as transforming the site into ‘a paradise on the edge of town’.

Planned improvements include upgraded footpaths for wheelchair users and people with mobility problems, raised viewing platforms giving better views across the reserve and platforms for pond dipping and duck feeding.

Otters have also returned to breed at the reserve for the first time in more than 30 years. Reserve manager Nick Tomlinson said: “We want people to have a great experience and to be able to get up close and personal with wildlife.

“We’ll be building an otter holt and a special wall for sand martins where we hope they’ll stay and breed in the spring.

“We’ll be installing cameras in both these places and elsewhere on the reserve so that we can beam live footage back to our visitor centre at Radipole Lake – our very own spring and autumn watches.”

Natural England is funding the work, with £185,000 for the first two phases and another £500,000 for further restoration and maintenance over the next 10 years.

Mr Tomlinson said: “Food and homes are what wildlife need.

“We reckon we’re now at the two or three stars mark in terms of quality of both and by the end of the second phase next year, we should have five stars.

“The reserve will be a premier destination for migrating and breeding birds and wildlife, as well as year round accommodation for resident creatures and a great experience for people.

“It will be a biodiversity hotspot, improving feeding and breeding sites for all sorts of wildlife including wildfowl, warblers, bearded tits and the bittern, which is an endangered species, and other rare birds such as the spotted crake and garganey.”

He added: “These works will also benefit a wide range of other wildlife, including water voles, otters and bats, such as the rare Nathusius’ pipistrelle. There will be more butterflies and moths and a whole host of wonderful insects and plants.

“For instance, after an absence of nearly 50 years, golden dock is again flowering on the ditch edges – the only place in Dorset this rare plant can be seen.”

Recent success stories at the reserve include breeding marsh harriers for the first time in Dorset for 50 years and the first time ever on the reserve.

The reserve is estimated to bring in about £1.5million a year to the local economy.

The RSPB expects that the restoration and improvements will at least double that.