Coals to Newcastle came to mind when we were asked by M.Gaze Ltd to plant 15,000 reeds (Phragmites australis) at their waste treatment site
in Norfolk. The treatment beds were a
refurbished set of horizontal gravel redbeds with a total area of 3,800m2.
The beds were being re-planted after a planting last year
had failed and it emphasised the importance of protecting the newly planted
reeds from grazing. The culprits in
this case were mostly Mallards and Moorhens walking in from the neighbouring
lagoons pulling up and chomping away at the newly planted reeds – a very
expensive way of feeding the local duck population!
I have attached a photo of some of the surviving reeds that
were being grazed by Moorhens – given protection for a few months these should
get big enough to become too large to graze.
When planting a new reedbed I always think it’s worth
spending at least 20% of the total planting budget on temporary fencing for one
growing season – it will be money well spent.
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