Restoring an old Cheshire marl pit

Eighteen months ago we restored an old Cheshire marl pit which was choked in weeds, devoid of sunlight and had dried up. In short it wasn’t fulfilling its purpose and it needed improvement.

We began by removing the brash to let in light and have let it fill naturally with rainwater. The pond this spring supported breeding pairs of mallard duck and coots.

Sowing the neighbouring field with a complimentary wild bird seed mix (AB9) now creates a haven for nature. The mix includes millet, radish, kale, triticale and sunflowers all of which have brought in record numbers of bees and butterflies, and the seeds will provide a much needed food source in the coming winter months for birds.

At the same time this field also has over 2 kilometres of underground pipes for a ground source heat pump for renewable energy generation.

This integrated approach of building soil health, improving water quality and boosting nature is one example of our commitment to sustainable stewardship of land management.

You can find out more about our work to strengthen the environment here.