Hilton Water and Wildwood

The open water habitats, and the species associated with them, are one of the reasons for designation of the Hilton Gravel Pits SSSI (the other being related to the type specimen of Hilton Terrace Sands and Gravels. from the Geological Conservation Review).

Recently, there have been repeat blue-green algal blooms on the main lake, from factors which this project will address:

1. Nutrient enrichment from bankside trees – addressed by coppicing and pollarding.
2. Nutrient enrichment from upstream landowners – addressed by development of numerous fringing reedbeds.

The site is important for breeding terns and bats and we propose additional tern rafts on the lakes, together with kestrel nest boxes on neutral grassland and bat boxes throughout the woodland.