7/7/2003

A state of the art, laser controlled excavator is set to move on to the Gwent Levels Wetlands Reserve, to recreate the historic landscape associated with this area of south Wales.

The six tonne excavator is being used to recreate the typical, ancient ‘ridge and furrow’ landform of the Gwent Levels

The American machine, which was imported and owned by the RSPB, is expected to make a spectacular sight as it simultaneously excavates furrows of 3m wide and throws the soil up to 40m away.

Once the work is completed more than 20,000 metres of ridge and furrow will be recreated over about 20 hectares of the Reserves fields.

In historical times, wide ridges and furrows were created to help drain the low-lying fields. But some Gwent Levels landowners followed a wider trend during the 1960’s and 1970’s of converting these ancient ridge and furrow grasslands on wetlands to flat, arable fields, allowing them to farm more efficiently and use large farm machinery such as combine harvesters.

“When the landforms are recreated, the furrows will allow us to control much more accurately the levels of water on the fields,” said reserve warden, Tony Pickup.

“At the moment a field can be dry one day and completely covered in water the next. When this system is in place the water can rise slowly up the furrows, and be stopped before the entire area becomes completely covered by a sheet of water.

“Once we can control the levels of water on the fields, the grasslands can become home to all sort of interesting wildlife. One of the most important animals is the lowly earthworm which is not only food for many birds but also helps to keep the soil healthy by breaking it up and allowing air to circulate around it. In the long run this will mean that we will have a much wider variety of plants and animals living on and in the ridges and furrows.”

Source:	Countryside Council for Wales
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