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The 100-acre reserve, which
will run alongside the new Ashlands development, will stretch
from the estuary foreshore to an inland park area.
It will contain a series of
habitats including wetlands, hay meadows and raised pastures.
The wetland fields will be
developed as a priority.
The idea is to offset the
impact of housing being developed on the Ashlands site and
hopefully encourage a range of wildlife to the area.
The estuary is already a wetland
area of international importance and the reserve will be developed
to make sure existing wildlife is retained and other species
encouraged.
Hairy dragonflies
Curlew,
redshank,
whimbrel,
snipe,
lapwing
and teal
are all common to the area.
Watervoles
are also present and there is evidence of otters.
Great
crested newts, grass
snakes and hairy dragonflies are also common to Portishead.
Portishead Quays Consortium
Development director Mark Hallett said: "The overall vision
for the reserve is to provide a safeguarded refuge which will
have its own identity which will be valued and understood
by the local community."
Environmental consultants,
Landmark, who are overseeing the project will begin by relocating
the great crested newts from a small ditch.
Landmark director Nick Roberts
said: "We have already created a special amphibian reserve
and will be catching the newts over the next few weeks, as
they make their way from hibernation to their breeding ditch."
The wildlife reserve will take
about five years to complete.
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