Nature is getting a helping hand in south-west England, as a mission to boost biodiversity just outside the market town of Bridgwater in Somerset picks up pace.

The ambitious project to create a variety of habitats in which a wide range of trees, plants and animals can thrive, is taking shape next to Durleigh Reservoir over the coming months. Teams will move on to the land during July to start preparing the ground on two fields previously used for arable farming, the latest stage of Wessex Water’s investment in and around the reservoir, which supplies drinking water to more than 44,000 people in the area.

The habitat work follows the company’s previous project at the same site which saw a new wetland created that has substantially reduced chemicals, sediment and silt within Durleigh Brook, improving the quality of water reaching the reservoir and nearby water treatment centre.

This latest phase will see more than 1.5 hectares of lowland meadow created on adjacent land, while more than 4.5 hectares of trees will also be planted to sit alongside the previous river realignment work. A further 15 ponds and scrapes, or seasonal shallow ponds, will also be dug.

Wessex Water’s conservation, access & recreation manager Tom Reynolds said, “By creating these habitats, we can complement our previous river realignment project, providing further permanent and seasonal ponds on site, creating features that mimic those found in ancient woodlands, plus delivering a mosaic of habitats that include wetlands, meadows and species-rich grassland.

“We’ll be maintaining these habitats into the future and planting woodland and meadow species that are appropriate to the local area and reflect the different ground conditions, particularly soil moisture and nutrients, across the site. The key habitats created by this project will help to promote greater biodiversity across the area.’’

Woodland species such as willow, oak, lime, wild cherry, dog rose, hawthorn and crab apple will be among those planted, while newts, frogs and grass snakes will benefit from the wet areas. The range of ponds will be dug during July and August as a more varied ground surface is prepared to allow the sowing of the meadows and tree planting to be completed from the autumn.