Urgent repairs needed at Testwood Lakes

Volunteers at Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve face a race against time this autumn: working alongside Trust staff to replace a damaged boardwalk before water levels rise too high to complete the work. But first we need to raise £11,500 to cover the cost of materials for the new boardwalk. 

Can you help the Testwood Lakes team with a donation today? 

Hotter summers and wetter winters have taken their toll on the boardwalk at Testwood Lakes. These wooden walkways provide the only route to the two bird hides at the reserve, which give visitors the chance to see a wide array of wetland birds on and around the water.

But the main boardwalk needs to be replaced urgently. Without a new boardwalk in place, it will be impossible for visitors, volunteers and staff to access the hides on foot or by wheelchair or mobility scooter in the coming months. 

And the replacement boardwalk must be completed by November before conditions become unsuitable for this work. Thanks to a generous gift left by a late supporter, we’ve already secured some of the funds required. Now, we need to raise the remaining £11,500 by 19 October for volunteers and staff to install a new boardwalk – please help with a donation today!

Volunteers raring to go

Staff and volunteers have carried out running repairs on the existing boardwalk in recent years. But increased winter rainfall caused by climate change means the boardwalk supports spend much longer submerged by floodwater on this part of the reserve, so they have decayed more quickly than expected. 

Testwood Lakes has an enthusiastic team of practical conservation volunteers who are keen to get to work. Now, we urgently need to raise the funds to cover the cost of wood and other materials to construct a boardwalk before the end of autumn – otherwise the site will be too wet for safe access to do the job.

Without a new boardwalk in place for this winter, Trust members, birdwatchers and local residents will lose opportunities to see the hundreds of wildfowl and wading birds that find a winter haven at Testwood Lakes. 

A walk on the wild side

Testwood Lakes is a much-loved nature destination where visitors of all ages can explore the paths around the two larger lakes and along the River Blackwater, where it approaches the River Test upstream of Totton. The boardwalks lead to a more secluded area of the site, where freshwater scrapes and another lake provide valuable habitat for wildlife. 

Here, visitors can spot over-wintering wildfowl such as teal, wigeon, shoveler and tufted ducks. Waders usually found on this part of the site in winter include lapwing, snipe, redshank and – increasingly – great white egret.

Three dozen white storks roosted in this area for one night in August, so this part of the reserve offers great habitat for birds and fantastic opportunities for spotting wildlife. 

One hide overlooks the scrapes; another is next to Meadow Lake. Both allow wonderful close-up views of wildfowl and wading birds without any disturbance to wildlife. But without a safe boardwalk, both hides would be inaccessible to nature-loving visitors in the winter months.

The River Blackwater regularly floods this part of the reserve during winter. With climate change likely to increase the amount of rainfall each year, the new boardwalk will need to be supported at greater depth to ensure safe access across deeper water in the years ahead.

Love wildlife, love Testwood Lakes

With your support, Trust staff and volunteers will replace a 90-metre boardwalk using heavy duty timber, specially treated to withstand long periods in water, which should last into the 2040s. 

Testwood Lakes is an amazing gem of a place. As a Trust volunteer, I love working with like-minded people who gladly give their time (and energy) to support and protect this precious environment. If there is anything we can do to encourage more people to appreciate Testwood Lakes then the volunteers will throw themselves into any task required. 

 - Bob Dunn, Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve Volunteer

Give £150 and enjoy an exclusive Testwood tour

As a special thank you for donating £150 or more, you'll be invited to join a guided tour of Testwood Lakes with the Reserve Officer. Walk the boardwalk your support helped make possible, visit the bird hides and discover the wildlife that thrives here, while learning more about the reserve and how it is managed for nature. Guided walk dates will be confirmed with donors once the appeal has ended.

_{Donations will be used to fund the Testwood Lakes boardwalk project. If this appeal raises more than it costs to complete the project, the remaining funds will be used to support nature’s recovery in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Thank you for supporting local wildlife and nature recovery.}