03/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/28/2024 10:36
Two new mascots are helping bring to life the history and wildlife of a city centre urban watercourse.
L-R - Andrew Gibson, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust; Dan Jagucki, Environment Agency and Karen Tozer, Groundwork Yorkshire with one of the newly installed signs.
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.
The pond dipping sign as part of the project.
As well as the new history and wildlife trail, so far the £500,000 project has:
New footpaths that have been created as part of the project.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's David Craven said:
We are delighted to see this project come to life and signs go in along Barmston Drain. As a partner in the work, it is important to us that people get to know and have a better opportunity to connect with and care for the wildlife that surrounds them every day.
Wildlife can thrive and live alongside us even in functional features such as well managed urban and suburban drains.
Holderness Drain is the next drain the project will be rolled out to with plans already in place to restore a neglected and overgrown area that has suffered from anti-social behaviour and fly tipping. Plans also include new community green spaces, pocket parks, fishing areas and events to improve access to free fishing and community litter picks.
Over the next three years the project will also roll out to Setting Dyke, Foredyke and Old Fleet Drain.
Groundwork's Karen Tozer said:
As part of the Dynamic Drains partnership and as a resident of Hull it's exciting to see these signs going up along Barmston Drain. I hope they encourage people to discover more about the nature and heritage of the Drain.
To find out more, visit Hull's Dynamic Drains
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