£40,000 pledged to boost North East bird life

Apr 11 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

AN inner-city park has been given a cash boost to improve its appeal for people and birdlife.

Willow warbler and bullfinch, two of the north’s declining woodland birds, will benefit from a £40,000 Forestry Commission grant.

The cash has been pledged for habitat creation work in Walker Riverside Park, Newcastle, which will target the two species, along with garden warbler, spotted flycatcher and willow tit, all of which are known to be in the area.

The grant will also be used to improve public access to the 75-acre site, with densely planted trees thinned either side of paths and interpretation boards erected.

Last year the Forestry Commission and RSPB launched a new grant scheme in the North East – the first in the country – to fund conservation work to help 14 vulnerable woodland species which face an uncertain future.

Mike Riley, woodland officer with the Forestry Commission, said: “Together with the RSPB, British Trust for Ornithology and Natural England we’ve carried out a unique mapping project to identify breeding hotspots in the region for certain birds.

“We know we have some of the key species in or very near the Riverside Park, so this grant will support work where it’s most likely to be effective.” Besides thinning work, more coppicing will also be done, where trees are cut back to promote vigorous growth, and improvements made to rides and meadows.

Woods which are under-managed or neglected provide fewer habitats and partly explain why some birds are in a tailspin, say forest chiefs.

Because the work will help both woodland birds and improve community access a more generous grant has been offered.

Until the 1970s Walker Riverside Park was the site of heavy industry, but it is now being nurtured with a greener future in mind by owners Newcastle City Council and a Friends group.