Railway helps to restore wetlands to New Forest

12/10/2009 22:42:08 Wetlands restored with the help of new railway line
October 2009. A major conservation project is being undertaken by the Forestry Commission in the New Forest using an ingenious light railway. The project will restore areas of wetland that have been missing since Victorian times.

Recreating ‘lost' streams
The 800-metre long rail line has been built to transport large quantities of local gravel and clay to infill unwanted drainage dykes. The water from these is then being re-directed along the courses of bygone meandering streams, in a scheme designed to bring about the return of ‘lost' wildlife to the forest.

75% more fuel efficient
As an alternative to dumper trucks, the rail system prevents severe damage being caused to the fragile habitat of the forest floor. And furthermore, it is about 75% more fuel efficient, thus significantly reducing the carbon footprint. In total, up to 300 tonnes is being moved each day.

The project is one of the Forestry Commission's many successes throughout England, in exceeding the Government target to maintain prime wildlife areas - Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is also a partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and the The New Forest.

Forest drained in 1850
Back in the 1850s, straight channels were dug to drain the forest, to replace the meandering streams that spilled water across wide sections of the floodplains.

Ecologists found these channels to be damaging to the habitats that make the area so special, and needed to return to the forgotten meandering streams and mires.

An extensive programme is now underway, starting with this one at Warwickslade, which leads in to the Lymington River. This stream stretches almost 1.7 miles and in places is up to 4 feet deep. The original course of the stream was established through research of old maps and photos and the use of aerial photography as well as ground surveys.

Rather than large earth moving trucks churning up the forest to transport the ground infill, the light railway was devised by Will Bond, Managing Director of Alaska Environmental Contracting Ltd, the contractor undertaking the work.

Toy railway - Reusable on other sites
"In the past, rail systems have not been feasible because of the cost and difficulties in connecting the track, but by using interlocking sockets like a toy railway, it could be installed quickly. It was up and running only seven weeks after securing the contract. Two weeks to design the system, and then five weeks to fabricate the track, wagons, points and tugs, and to test and commission the system. The initial investment was costly, but this track can be moved to various locations easily, making it viable."

Sarah Oakley, Ecologist at the Forestry Commission, added: "The scheme offers considerable benefits to wildlife in the forest. At present the connection between these forest streams and their floodplains has been lost. Restoring this link will bring rich rewards for biodiversity - all thanks to the rail system."