AJ Bellamy, Somerset Coastal Levels Project Officer, has shared some visual updates of the work taking place in Pawlett. 

The first two pictures are from Pawlett last winter and spring this year, you can see the wetland site was dry.

Following AJ's work this autumn (picture 3), he revisited the site in November and took more photos (picture 4 and below) showing the wetland now. You can see how some of the features installed are already working very nicely, with environmental and wildlife benefits already clear to see.

 

'This is wetland creation area 2 last winter, when other areas were flooded it sat dry':

 

'And in spring - still dry':

  

'The previous wet features in the field were not holding water as the land drains were still in place. This autumn we went around the entire edge of the field cutting a 1.2 m deep trench. This cut the land drains (as you can see in the image below) so the wetland can now hold water':

 

'I am pleased to say the very same spot (as pictured in the first images) now looks like this':

 

'With the expectation of more splash flooding to come higher up in the field':

 

'Today it had attracted a rather wary Short-eared Owl':

 

'Four wild Pink-footed Geese along with a larger flock of Canada geese and probable Ferrel Barnacle goose but also circa 50 Black-tailed Godwit and a hand full of Dunlin, grey plover and redshank, all roosting at high tide':

Brilliant results! We look forward to sharing more with you as this project develops.