Caroline Haines, Chair of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, provides an update on the work taking place in Wanstead Park following the clearance of the Ornamental Water’s dried-out lakebed
Whilst awaiting the decision from the Environment Agency regarding water extraction from the River Roding for the Ornamental Water, we have been progressing with other parts of the project, ensuring the protection of this unique heritage feature always remains our priority.
The dried-out lakebed was cleared of vegetation in September. Our arborist team used a forestry mulcher to chop up any young trees and vegetation. A community litter pick then took place in October. A huge thanks to all the volunteers who helped out; 25 people picked approximately 30 bags of rubbish with interesting finds of bottles and other artefacts catalogued for our museum collection.
Local conservation groups have been carrying out volunteer workdays throughout October and November whilst the lakebed was dry. This involved cutting down trees close to the island and bank edge – these are the areas the forestry mulcher could not reach.
Over the winter, we will be mapping damp areas in the lakebed as they develop and monitoring emerging vegetation. We will be conducting borehole surveys across the lakebed to assess the below-ground conditions; this will help us to assess the lakebed’s capacity to hold water.
These are early steps in a long-term process. By thoroughly investigating the lakebed’s condition now, we can guide future conservation efforts and make better-informed management decisions.
Now the rain has started to turn the lakebed to mud, we would ask all visitors (and their dogs) not to enter the area. Some of the mud will be very deep and may become dangerous to walk on. Signs have gone up around the area and all conservation tasks on the lakebed will soon stop.
Overlooking the Ornamental Water is the Grotto, a Grade II* listed building which requires work to stabilise its structure and remove it from the Heritage at Risk Register. The cleaning of the structure has now been completed and the team have been cataloguing and matching up stones to fill in any gaps. Groundworks have also finished in preparation for the installation of a metal supporting structure. This will go in at the back of the Grotto to stabilise the brickwork and ensure it remains in good condition. The restoration project will continue until the end of the year. During the works, some areas of the park may be temporarily closed to visitors for safety reasons.
For more information on the restoration work taking place in Wanstead Park, visit wnstd.com/managingwp
