Big Green Week - visit to Fishwick Bottoms with Councillor Carol Henshaw

Managing and maintaining one of Preston's hidden gems falls mainly to a park ranger named Terry and a number of valued volunteers, primarily from the Wildlife Trust and Friends of Haslam Park group.

Fishwick Bottoms local nature reserve can be accessed from London Road, just before you cross the River Ribble going south. You might have thought it was only a BMX bike track and a football pitch, but there's a lot more to the site than first meets the eye.

Included within the 26 hectare site there's woodland, wetlands, grasslands and picturesque spots to sit and contemplate life and look for wildlife.

The park ranger and volunteers in action

On a visit as part of Big Green Week, Councillor Carol Henshaw, Cabinet member for climate change, witnessed Terry and a group of volunteers in action cutting back reeds, re-filling a dried out pond, and erecting old sleepers with drilled-out holes that's been named 'Wilson' as a new habitat for solitary bees.

Cllr Henshaw said:

 "It was wonderful! Really fascinating to see this work in action. I think the hard work that everyone puts in week after week, showing such dedication to the space and preserving wildlife habitat is just awesome.

"Finding out more about the site and work that goes on there gives a real insight into what happens off the beaten track, at a place where thousands will pass each day not realising what lies beyond the car park.

Refilling a dried out pond

Approximately 50,000 - 60,000 litres of water from two neighbouring ponds were used to re-fill the dried out pond. 

Reeds growing around the pond were cut back and will be used across the site as extra areas of habitat for wildlife such as hedgehogs, voles and frogs.

Sleeper with drilled holes for bees

The drilled holes in the sleepers will be used by solitary bees as cells to lay eggs, then backfilled with pollen and nectar as food for when they hatch.

Make a Preston Pledge to help make the city a greener place to live

We understand not everyone has the time to volunteer, but there are other things we can all do at home that can make a real difference to our environment. Starting this Big Green Week, we're asking people to make a pledge to help make Preston a greener place to live, work and visit. What will your pledge be?