Harlow Marshes Wetland Enhancement Project

This project seeks to address fragmentation of wetland habitat through improvement of 6.4 ha of wetland within Harlow Marshes Local Nature Reserve which comprises 3 Local Wildlife Sites. The site supports a wide range of UK BAP and Red Data list species forming an extensive and increasingly rare area of species rich river floodplain grassland and is an important stepping stone within the Stort and Lee Valley Living Landscape.
The project aims to protect and enhance this habitat, contributing to priority BAP targets through:
•The creation of 2000m2 of additional reedbed habitat. Returning grassland to its original floodplain level.
•Ditch improvements, scalloping and re-profiling of existing wetland margins to improve and extend marginal wetland habitat.
•Scrape creation to include three shallow pools and the excavation of a new area of 1500m2 of permanent open water.
•Bridge widening to facilitate annual cutting and grazing of an isolated section of floodplain grassland.