Havant Thicket Reservoir: More than 200 trees are relocated as part of work to create the new water reservoir

It forms part of a joint initiative with environmental group, Havant Thicket for Nature, which aimed to preserve 80 young trees on site which would otherwise be felled. However thanks to the care taken during site clearance work last autumn, Portsmouth Water has exceeded this target and is now relocating more than 200 trees to create new habitats locally.

Ruari Maybank, Project Director for Havant Thicket Reservoir, said: “We’re delighted to be moving and replanting more than 200 trees from the Havant Thicket Reservoir site. This is well in excess of our original target of 80 and has been achieved thanks to the care and attention shown during site clearance work last autumn.

“I would particularly like to thank Havant Thicket for Nature, who put forward the idea nearly two years ago and have working closely with us ever since. Like Portsmouth Water, the group care passionately about the local environment and their continued input, support and dedication to this part of the project has been fundamental to its success.”

Portsmouth Water is carrying out extensive environmental work as part of the Havant Thicket Reservoir project to create an 8.7bn litre winter storage reservoir which stretches 160 hectares across Leigh Park in Havant to Rowlands Castle in East Hampshire.

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The scheme was proposed by Portsmouth Water and Southern Water to safeguard water resources in the south east because in the winter, during periods of high rainfall, there is normally a surplus of water in the springs which goes over and above what Portsmouth Water is capable of supplying.

Although the reservoir will be around a mile long, and half a mile wide, the project will deliver a net gain to wildlife habitats. Its plans involve both onsite and offsite commitments that include planting and improving more than 200 hectares of woodland and wood pasture and creating a new wetland on the northern shore of the reservoir to support local bird species. Portsmouth Water said the project will secure vital water resources for the South East and help protect the world-renowned chalk streams of the River Test and the River Itchen in Hampshire.

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