As part of our ‘Wild About Johnstown’ project we are creating a Secret Garden area at Stryt Las nature reserve,
funded by the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme administered by WCVA.
In a sheltered area at the northern end of the reserve, work has taken place on two small ponds. The ponds have been dried out for some time to allow us to scrape them out, deepen them, and connect them in the middle to create one larger pond. Some of the surrounding vegetation has been cleared back to create access around the whole pond, and in the next few months the work will continue to line the pond and finish landscaping the surrounding area.
The gardenis easily accessible from the reserve’s main path, so as well as creating new pond habitat for wildlife, in the future, this area will also provide a place where children can get close to nature, experience pond dipping, and be a place where reserve visitors can enjoy watching pond wildlife. Once the landscaping is complete the area will naturally green up again with wild vegetation, with a strimmed path to the pond.
Wild Ground are currently running a drawing competition for local children to get involved in designing new signage to welcome visitors to the Secret Garden.