Biodiversity Net Gain projects

Ecosulis, in partnership with Hart District Council, is creating an enhanced wetland and woodland habitat at Whitewater Meadows Country Park in Hook (What3Words: alien.acids.shortcuts) 

Whitewater Meadows Country Park is named for the river bordering the east and north of the site, a chalk stream which are internationally rare. The UK have the vast majority, but all are under threat.

The northern field of the country park was once a flood plain leading to the river, with a variety of permanent and seasonal wetland features such as ponds, scrapes, additional channels of the river and seasonal springs and flow paths. These wetlands supported a huge range of biodiversity with a wide variety of plants and animals using the diverse range of habitats, from tree covered hills down to boggy wetland, all of which have since been lost.

We explored ways to fund a project which could restore some of this lost wetland functionality to the country park. We settled on creating a Biodiversity Net Gain site to deliver biodiversity uplift and to allow the project to become self-funded across its lifetime. Modelling was undertaken to inform the design of the wetland features that could be restored, and additional tree and hedgerow planting across the site was proposed to add a mix of habitats.  

The features below have all been or will be implemented on site, creating a much more varied series of habitats across the site. 

Click through to find out what features we're adding, and how they'll achieve our aims!

Ponds - We've dug significant terrain lows in the landscape that are prone to filling from groundwater and rainfall. Water levels will often fluctuate but the deeper areas will remain permanently wet, the edges of the shallow areas will shift and attract wading birds to the site. Over time, wetland edges will continue to develop and provide habitat for insects and other wildlife.

Seepage Ponds - Seepage ponds have been added to the floodplain to restore wetland habitat. Unlike a normal pond that relies mainly on rainfall or surface water, a seepage pond is fed by groundwater, so it can hold water all year round. In the past, many natural seepage ponds were lost due to changes in floodplain drainage and land infilling. Installing one is a quick and effective way to bring back aquatic and wetland areas without increasing flood risk, even if space is limited. Those at Whitewater Meadows are likely to be seasonal ponds – dry in summer and wet in winter, and have been located at points that will hopefully interrupt seasonal overland flows to protect the paths.

Wetlands - A new flowing wetland has been created to bring back natural water movement to the floodplain. These wetlands stay wet because of groundwater and flows from nearby streams and the main river. In the past, many were lost due to drainage and intensive land use, which dried the land and changed wildlife habitats. This wetland includes shallow channels with moving water, similar to natural areas found in low-energy river systems. It helps restore habitat for plants and animals that depend on flowing water. At present the wetlands act as ponds, but we are exploring a future project to restore connectivity to the river alongside other river improvements.

Scrapes are a non-technical term for terrain lows in the landscape that are prone to periodic waterlogging or retention of more permanent areas of shallow water. Because these features are temporary, the amount of water changes often, creating shifting edges that attract many wading birds and other wildlife. They can be created almost anywhere on the valley floor and vary in wetness, supporting a mix of habitats. These ponds are especially valuable where natural landforms have been lost or where land use limits larger restoration, as they help bring back biodiversity and provide feeding and breeding areas for insects, birds, and other species.

In order to recycle the spoil from digging our wetland features, a number of ditch blocks, infills, and bunds have been placed around the site. These features are a good way to remove the spoil from the floodplain while also providing soft landscape features such as the bund around the play area.  

The paths at whitewater, especially in the northern and east of the pylon fields, were often the low-points where water puddle in winter, creating muddy and often slippery paths. The location of the path has been moved slightly, to reflect higher points of the fields, with seepage ponds adjacent to capture runoff from the neighbouring field. These works should see subtle improvements in the condition of the paths. We have also infilled some areas where there were steeper slopes, improving accessibility in the longer term, though a wider accessibility review is under way for the site

Vehicle tracks from the works have been seeded as have the bunds, which have started germinating thanks to the mild November, however we expect some muddiness to persist until spring. Marginal planting of the wetland features is likely to be undertaken in the new year to bring wetland species in to the site quicker than self-seeding. 

Tree planting - A number of trees are being planted across the site to bring some of the site to a parkland habitat, which is large trees with grassland between – this will prevent the site from feeling like an enclosed woodland while also planting a wide variety of tree species and giving them space to grow. 

Community Orchard - An orchard is being planned which will include a variety of native and local fruit trees. Orchard trees need to be managed in a specific way and the Countryside Team, with the help of volunteers and the community, will manage and maintain this area as a community asset, with the fruit free to all. 

Timeline

Phase 1 of the works (Wetland excavation, earthworks and pathway redesign) begun in Autumn 2025 and concluded in October.

Phase 2 of the works (Tree and hedgerow planting) beginning January 2026.

Tree planting is going to be undertaken in January 2026, which is the best time to plant trees; they will have been dormant through winter and the ground is wet enough that when planted the roots can grow and take hold without the need for manual watering. 

Closure latest updates

Please refer to the site closures map, all dates are estimates and dependant on weather conditions.

Please check this page for further updates on area closures as the works progress.

Northern field: OPEN
Access works area: OPEN
Southern field closed from January

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