Bourne Pools

The most 'unattractive' area of Coy Pond Gardens was a stretch leading to the railway embankment in the upper reaches of the garden, where the stream was enclosed with deep & steep concrete block edges. 

This is also where very poor quality stream water emerges from a 2.5km culvert (more).  There was little sign of life on the stream bed, and no opportunity for it elsewhere.  Drainage of the surrounding grassland was very poor and the area had become barely visited.

With a view to making improvements to the stream and its surroundings at Coy Pond Gardens, the Partnership hosted a public consultation on Thursday 23rd, and Friday 24th May 2002 at St. John's Church, Surrey Road, Poole.  

Four options were presented, all intended to deal with the problem of diffuse water pollution and enhance wildlife habitat, limited by various services that run through the garden (i.e. electrical cabling, sewer and mains water pipes).  All options adhered to the principles of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS).  

The final design includes elements of Options 1 & 2 - the top choices of the public attending the consultation.  The area has since been named 'Bourne Pools' by local residents.

» The works (2003)

» Since works were completed

» Funding

» Project timeline

The works, November-December 2003

Drainage, water quality, wildlife habitat and public access improvements:

Working at the uppermost end of the Gardens we have 'naturalised' the stream by removing the steep concrete channelling and widening the stream bed.  

The stream's banks have been lowered, the surrounding grassland terraced, and shallow ponds created at each end of this section of stream.  

The new stream course should develop as a water meadow, and act as a flood basin during times of heavy rainfall when flow increases dramatically.  The soft muddy banks will provide good habitat for wildlife.

The old footbridge was demolished and rebuilt, faced in Purbeck stone and designed with a new weir (or control structure) with a splash pool on the downstream side.  

A resurfaced, higher footpath follows the same course as the previous one. 

A new, wooden footbridge at the far end, at the base of the railway embankment adds a new element to public access and enjoyment of this area.

The banks and surrounding areas were planted with suitable wetland species in April 2004, following consultation with the Friends of Coy Pond.

April 2004 - Poole's Mayor, Cllr. Ray Smith, visited the site and accepted a cheque from the Friends group toward the cost of the planting (» more).

August 2004 - the Friends of Coy Pond took a rotavator to the compacted and stony soil of the upper terrace, prepared the area and sowed ryegrass; this will eventually produce a wide grassy pathway for visitors to more easily access the far end of the system.

March 2005 - Water Voles confirmed to have made a home of Bourne Pools and further downstream in the gardens.  Unfortunately it was the discovery of a corpse that led to the positive identification by Dorset Wildlife Trust, but other activity has been spotted since, in the stream and on the banks.

Photo l-r: Larry Spiers, Wessex Water; Claire McClumpha, Environment Agency; Sarah Austin, Bourne Stream Partnership)

June 2006 - we found this fat & fluffy buzzard happily watching the goings on at Bourne Pools from a garden fence (click on image to enlarge it).

We believe that buzzards are nesting at Coy Pond Gardens and this may be a fledgling who has made perhaps its first flight and is seen here at lunchtime waiting for the parent's return from hunting. 

A baseline ecological survey was carried out by Robert Aquilina in August 2003.  In August 2005 we asked Robert back to carry out a follow-up ecological survey which illustrates the benefits of the project in terms of wildlife habitat quality.  Surveys open as small pdf files.

Regular monitoring of water quality up- and downstream of the works continues.

Funding

At a total cost of a little in excess of £50,000, the majority of the funding for this project was awarded by SITA Environmental Trust through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.  The Partnership met the balance.  The scheme was designed by Borough of Poole Leisure Services, and carried out by contractors J Corcoran Ltd.  Pollution prevention methods were agreed with the Environment Agency.

Project timeline