Felbeck Trust has been managing the habitat at West Beckham Old Allotments since 2019.

What have we achieved?

• Improved boundary hedges, through a combination of laying and gapping-up – providing shelter and nesting sites for farmland birds 

• Installation of vehicle & pedestrian gates at the site’s entrance 

• Begun creation of areas of wildflower meadows using existing seed-bank, green haying and seeds, and introducing an appropriate mowing regime 

• Creation and maintenance of permissive paths, providing access whilst protecting habitat

• Planting areas of woodland with native species to diversify the habitat

• In collaboration with NNDC we have planted a thousand native trees and shrubs on this site

• Installation of rustic seating 

• Construction of a bird feeding station

• Encouraging areas of tussock grass to provide small mammal habitat 

• Excavation of a large pond, by hand, and two small drinking pools to attract wildlife and meet the needs of Turtle Dove

• Creation of a butterfly bank

• Preparation of a bird-feeding area for supplementary feeding and a platform for winter feeding of finches and doves

What are our future plans?

• Continue to scythe/mow and rake the meadow areas to enhance the conditions for wild flowers to flourish

• Additional gapping up and hedge laying to create wide and tall hedges to help to attract Turtle Doves

• Continue using green haying or seeds/plugs as appropriate to supplement the existing seed bank 

• Erect relevant interpretive signage, subject to funding and any approvals 

• Install an additional bird feeding station 

• Erect a viewing screen, subject to funding and approvals

• Erect and maintain bird-boxes and bat-boxes if appropriate