Ferry Meadows footpath to close as part of major wildlife project in Peterborough

A footpath at Peterborough’s Ferry Meadows park is set to temporarily close as part of a new project to create a new wildlife habitat in Gunwade Lake.

The section of path will be closed between the entrance to the Lakeview campsite and the bottom of Gunwade Lake, with diversions put in place for walkers and cyclists.

The project will see the huge mound of earth at the side of the lake help create a new reedbed.

A spokesperson for the Nene Park Trust said: “Regular visitors to Ferry Meadows over the past year will have noticed the huge mound of earth sitting next to Gunwade Lake. We have been waiting to secure funding to transform this into an exciting conservation project and are now thrilled to announce that this is no longer just a mound of earth; it will soon be an essential part of a new reed bed creation project, creating improved habitat for our fish as well as other amphibian, bird and invertebrate species.

"Thanks to funding from Valencia Community Fund through the Landfill Communities Fund and from the Environment Agency Fisheries Improvement Programme, we can now proceed with this project, in partnership with the Environment Agency and Peterborough and District Angling Association (PDAA).

“'Burying’ this soil in Gunwade Lake will create a large underwater soil bed that will then be planted with common reed, which thrives in shallow water. Overtime, the reed will establish itself to create a large reed bed, currently a scarce habitat in the Park. This will improve the biodiversity of the Lake as well as helping filter the water. Once established, this new reed bed habitat will support a wide variety of species. The dense tangle of submerged reed stems and roots will provide secure spawning sites for fish as well as a refuge for small fish, keeping them safe from predatory fish and birds.”

After the mound of earth has been moved, the grass area will be reseeded with a wildflower mix that will benefit pollinator species.