Wildlife at Mercia Marina

THE Mercia Nature Society have created a new wildlife habitat at Mercia Marina.

This new habitat is for butterflies, ladybirds, lacewings and bees, even incorporating a carefully concealed hedgehog house, a wildlife pond, planting of 60 native wildflower plants as well as wild roses plus a small drystone wall, log pile, stones cairns and, piles of grass to encourage insects, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.

Otters

In addition to welcoming many holiday visitors, Mercia rolled out the green carpet to a family of otters! The community were 'otterly' [their word!] enthralled to see the otters right outside their boats.

The Nature Society volunteers, supported by the Grounds & Maintenance Team, all help to win the string of gold awards from the David Bellamy Conservation scheme. Rufus Bellamy, environmental adviser to the British Holiday and Home Parks Association continues his late father Professor David Bellamy’s work. He commented:

Hard work pays off

“Fantastic news from Mercia Marina about their new resident otters and nature pond. It just shows that hard work really does pay off—can’t wait to see how the pond develops as it colonises with more plants and animals.”

The marina has also paid for two beehives and invested in training twelve volunteers who will be the marinas' beekeepers. A space has been prepared to site the beehives and the community is rightly buzzing enthusiastically to bee involved. As time goes by and if the project is successful more hives may be included. This is of course in addition to the marinas Red Mason Bee project that has been running successfully for a few years and acknowledged by being branded a bee-friendly park by the British Holiday and Home Parks Association.