‘A win for nature and people’: Elizabeth line soil used to create Essex bird haven | Birds
Approximately 40,000 birds nested in the nature reserve, which was created using soil obtained from tunnel excavations for the Elizabeth line.
Three million tonnes of soil were transported from London to the island of Wallasea in Essex and used to raise ground levels and create wetlands.
The RSPB purchased the island in the mid-2000s and is building ideal conditions for wetland birds to feed, nest and refuel. The sea wall was removed in 2015 to allow water to flow to the island for the first time in 400 years.
The charity then built islands, some from Elizabethan line land, and created lagoons and salt marshes. The wetland now absorbs rainwater, protecting residents from flooding.
Wallasea was once devoid of birds, but its visitors now include 800 swordbills, more than 10,000 knotbirds, around 3,000 gray plovers and a similar number of bar-tailed godbirds. A record 39,000 birds wintered in the area.
Site manager Rachael Fancy said: “When I first started working at Wallasea it looked very much like a construction site – because that’s what it was. But just 10 years later, there is no evidence of diggers or trucks. There are now just thousands and thousands of birds using it as a haven, shelter and nursery for their chicks. It’s an almost incredible transformation.”
Project managers said the successful use of land at the Elizabeth line shows that construction and nature restoration can go hand in hand.
Milo Sumner, RSPB UK coastal programs manager, said: “Wallasea shows what is possible when business has the mindset to work with and with nature. The creation of the Elizabeth range was one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, and by collaborating we have managed to create a profit for nature and people from what would otherwise have become a huge pile of wasted land.
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“We would like to say a huge thank you to Transport for London for taking this opportunity and of course our teams and volunteers who helped make this a reality.”
