Grimsargh Wetlands Trust has received a donation of cable drums for use on the wetlands to create rafts to support the wildlife that resides there.

Situated in the village of Grimsargh, between Preston and Longridge, Grimsargh Wetlands is one of Lancashire’s newest nature reserves.

Made up of three former United Utilities reservoirs, the site is home to a wide range of wildlife that Grimsargh Wetlands Trust is now charged with protecting.

As part of their work, the Trust – which was established in 2017 to promote the conservation, protection, and improvement of the nature reserve – recently completed its Tern Raft Project to support the breeding success of the local tern population.

The project made use of several cable drums donated by Story Homes and Grain Connect, which were transformed into floating islands.

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Geoff Carefoot, Trustee at Grimsargh Wetlands Trust and project leader for the raft initiative, said: “Empty wooden drums make ideal rafts, which are a useful way of providing island habitats for terns in relatively deep water.

“They promote the breeding success of birds, by providing areas that are safe from terrestrial predators, making attractive nesting sites whilst providing wildfowl with ‘loafing’ spots or resting places.

“A similar project was completed at Preston Dock which was incredibly successful, and we hope that we see the same benefits from these rafts. We are grateful to Story Homes and Grain Connect, who responded to our plea and delivered the cable drums to us, which are already in use on the Wetlands.”

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The rafts have proven to be a hit amongst the local bird population, with sightings of a pair of terns and black-headed gulls already making use of the rafts for their nests.

To keep up to date with the progress of the Tern Raft Project, or to find out more about Grimsargh Wetlands, visit the Grimsargh Wetlands website.