Report on the Family Fun Day - 20th June 2010

The Halesworth Millennium Green was created from 44 acres of grazing marsh close to the town centre. The object was

..to provide and maintain an open space to be used forever as an area for leisure and enjoyment where people can enjoy nature and wildlife at first hand

The Millennium Green is composed of four meadows in the flood plain of the Blyth Special Landscape Area and the Suffolk River Valleys Environmentally Sensitive Area.

The first two meadows lie between the main line railway and the Town River and are intersected by the New Reach, a canal dug as part of the Blyth River Navigation in 1761 to bring wherries from Blythburgh to the town Quay. These are Folly Meadow and Chestnut Meadow, beyond the railway embankment is Blyth Meadow and that links to Two Acres back under the Six Arches of the railway bridge.

The site is permanent grassland subject to periodic winter flooding and grazed by cattle in summer. There are many fine trees, including alder and willow.

Water voles are still to be seen and otters frequently pass through. The barn owl hunts over the meadows at dusk and the kingfisher and grey wagtail breed on the waterways.

Management is designed to conserve the remaining wetland species such as ragged robin, cuckoo flower, marsh bedstraw, kingcup and hemp agrimony.

Volunteer conservation work parties are held on the Millennium Green and in the Folly on the first Sunday in the month from 10am to 1pm when work such as path clearance, tree planting, and hay raking is undertaken. Tools and gloves are provided and there is always a sociable coffee break midway. Everyone welcome.

For more information about the Millennium Green and the working parties telephone Judith Woolnough 01986 872268 or email woolnoughs@freeuk.com