RAIN Northamptonshire

New Pond Completed at Rush Meadow Ponds 🌧️💧🌿

Delighted to confirm that an additional pond has now been created at Rush Meadow Ponds wetland near Brigstock.

Designed with a variety of depths and shallow shelves, the pond has been carefully created to maximise its value for wildlife, providing a range of habitats for aquatic plants, insects, amphibians and other species.

The new feature also incorporates a timber structure, similar in principle to a leaky dam, helping to slow and manage water flows as they move through the site.

This photograph was taken just before the heavens opened and the rain began to pour - a timely reminder of why projects like this matter!

By holding water higher up in the catchment and working with natural processes, these interventions can play an important role in supporting communities further downstream.

A huge thank you to landowner Hugh Shrive for his continued enthusiasm, support and commitment to the project.

Thanks too to our project partners Ebsford Environmental Ltd and Nene Rivers Trust CIO in bringing this additional pond to life.

The team at Nene Rivers Trust will be returning to the site to further enhance biodiversity and continue monitoring the natural flood management measures, helping us to understand the long-term benefits these ponds deliver.

And while we're on the subject of Rush Meadow Ponds... the wildflower meadows are looking absolutely spectacular this year! 🌼🌸

Now, on to the next site along the Harpers Brook catchment... watch this space for more updates!

Our project manager Sarah enjoyed going to the Nene Valley catchment partnership meeting last week… it is so important to understand other works across the Nene catchment and how our work here at RAIN can feed into those stories and strategies.

We also had a great site visit learning about the cascade and a fish pass on the site along with some history of the gardens.

Thanks to the team at Nene Rivers Trust for hosting such a great event.

Yesterday, the team was out with our project partner, talking with amazing landowners and farmers who want to make positive changes in their landscapes to help raise biodiversity and flood resilience.

So many interesting opportunities!

Yesterday, the team was out with our project partner, Nene Rivers Trust talking with amazing landowners and farmers who want to make positive changes in their landscapes to help raise biodiversity and flood resilience.

So many interesting opportunities!

Our project manager Sarah had a glorious time at the Milton Malsor & Collingtree WI meeting this week - met some amazing ladies.

It was a lovely opportunity to talk about the work we've been doing across both Wootton Brook and Harpers Brook catchments - and great to see some familiar faces who we've met along the way.

Thank you to everyone for welcoming Sarah - and for the amazing jams! It was greatly appreciated - and enjoyed this morning with toast!