The boardwalk provides the only route to two popular bird hides at the reserve. It urgently needs replacing before winter rainfall causes the surrounding field to flood, making the work impossible to carry out.
Thanks to the generosity of local people and Trust supporters, the £11,500 appeal target was reached in just seven days. Staff and volunteers can now get to work replacing the boardwalk, ensuring people can continue to reach the bird hides and enjoy close-up views of the wetland birds that make the reserve their home.
The existing boardwalk has deteriorated more quickly than expected after hotter summers and wetter winters took their toll. Increased winter rainfall means its wooden supports spend longer submerged in floodwater, accelerating their decay.
The team will replace around 90 metres of boardwalk using heavy-duty treated timber designed to withstand prolonged periods in wet conditions, with the Trust hoping the new structure will last into the 2040s. The considerable task will involve installing 355 boards, held in place with 1,420 nails.
Ben Pickup, Reserves Officer (Lower Test) from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who supported this appeal. To raise the money we needed in just seven days shows how much Testwood Lakes means to people and what can be achieved when the local community and Trust supporters come together.
“This generosity means our staff and volunteers can now replace the boardwalk before winter conditions set in, keeping the bird hides accessible and giving people the chance to enjoy the reserve’s wildlife for years to come. A huge thank you to everyone who donated and helped make this possible.”
The boardwalk provides access to two bird hides overlooking some of the reserve’s most wildlife-rich wetland areas. One of the hides overlooks the reserve’s freshwater scrapes, while the other sits beside Meadow Lake, allowing visitors to enjoy close-up views of wildlife without causing disturbance.
The work comes at an important time for Testwood Lakes as autumn brings increasing numbers of wintering birds to its lakes, scrapes and wet grasslands.
The reserve provides food and shelter for hundreds of wildfowl and wading birds, with visitors able to spot species including teal, wigeon, lapwing, snipe and redshank.
Earlier this year, 39 white storks chose a quiet corner of the reserve as an overnight roost. Driven to extinction in Britain in the 1400s, white storks are now successfully breeding at several sites, and their visit highlights the importance of Testwood Lakes as a safe space for birds on the move, whether passing through during migration or spending the winter here.
Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve is located near Totton, where the River Blackwater approaches the River Test. Visitors can explore paths around the reserve’s two larger lakes and along the River Blackwater, as well as the more secluded wetland area reached by the boardwalk.
The work is being led by Trust staff, supported by a team of Testwood Lakes practical conservation volunteers, with installation due to be completed by November.
