Hannahston OCCS:

Wetland habitat enhancement project

Project description

Earthworks help to enlarge the wetland

Hannahston is a former Open Cast Coal Site (OCCS) that is currently being reclaimed for use as community woodland and wetland. The project is a partnership with East Ayrshire Woodlands who have overall responsibility for the site. East Ayrshire Woodlands have established stands of native woodland and installed pathways. The CEI is initiating a work programme to improve the habitat diversity and provide opportunities for the local community to become involved.

The wetland looks bare after the earth works, but it wont take long for the vegetation to return. The CEI is:

Implementing a site management plan to enhance the wildlife value of the wetland system within the site

Bringing the settlement ponds which lie out with the site into the management plan to increase their wildlife value

Installing a dipping platform and boardwalk to allow visitors to the site access over the pond and to provide educational facilities for school children

Initiating a native wetland planting and management programme to control aggressive species such as bulrush, thistle and willowherb, allowing other species an opportunity to become established

Working with the local community to provide conservation volunteering opportunities

Working with the local primary school to gather environmental data for a conservation time capsule

To see more information about this project please visit our publications page.

Project duration

Start date: November 2004

End date: June 2007

Project sponsors

The Scottish Executive’s Biodiversity Action Grant Scheme