Home / Environment / Hampstead Heath Island Becomes Bird Sanctuary
Hampstead Heath Island Becomes Bird Sanctuary
31 Mar
Summary
- Island causeway removal creates a safe bird breeding sanctuary.
- Project received over £50,000 in public donations.
- Nearly 100 sq m of new reedbeds and wildflower habitat added.
A project is underway to establish a dedicated wildlife sanctuary on an island within Hampstead Heath's Model Boating Pond, offering a secure refuge for nesting birds. The City of London Corporation has commenced work to sever the land causeway connecting the island to the pond's edge.
Once isolated, the island will be off-limits to people and pets, ensuring wildlife can thrive without disturbance. This initiative is supported by more than £50,000 in public contributions and funding from the City Corporation's Climate Action Strategy.
The sanctuary will also introduce nearly 100 sq m of new reedbeds and wildflower habitats, benefiting wetland birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Temporary fencing will be in place during vegetation establishment.
Alderman Gregory Jones KC highlighted the sanctuary's importance for species relying on the pond, stating it provides a peaceful space for mallard, coot, grebe, and swan. He also noted the new reedbeds' role in strengthening ecosystems and storing carbon.
The Heath and Hampstead Society, instrumental in fundraising, welcomed the work, anticipating that nature will flourish with fewer interruptions. Visitors may soon glimpse species like woodcock and snipe.
