Wetland Creation Grant Scheme
Project at a glance
Area of focus
Over the past 100 years, the UK has lost half of its freshwater ponds. Freshwater habitats are very important, so the Evenlode Catchment Partnership (ECP) decided to encourage the creation of new ponds by providing funds directly to landowners. We commissioned AtkinsRéalis to design a handbook and grant scheme that the ECP would manage. The Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE) agreed to manage finances and contracts with the landowners, and we allotted £100,000 per year with a maximum of £20,000 per application.
Objectives
To create as many new ponds and wetlands of as great a variety as possible, preferably linking along river corridors to maximise habitat connectivity.
Timeline
2021-2022 Scheme planned
2022-2025 Grants available
2024-2025 Projects completed
Outcomes
17
ponds created
1
wetland created
585 m
watercourse reconnected to floodplain
Project highlights
“I wish I had done this years ago, look at the swallows skimming the water.”
– Howard Woolliams, landowner
Lessons learnt
There were difficulties in getting landowners to obtain the required permissions. Working in partnership, the ECP applied on their behalf.
Some landowners were not happy employing a contractor to do the work, therefore the ECP took on this management.
Most landowners were slow to start the project, which put the funding at risk several times. In future the ECP could either take more control of the process or set stricter deadlines.
Future plans
We’d love to continue to roll this grant scheme out into the future but we will need to secure funding to so. Having previously had the scheme in place, it is ready to plug-and-play.
In future we will advertise this more widely to help attract more community-based projects.
Funding
Total cost: £153,707
Funded by Thames Water.