Colwick Country Park Habitat Improvements

Nottingham City Council is seeking tenders to carry out habitat improvement works at Colwick Country Park. The tender comprises three elements:
• Ecology surveys (bats; water voles; minks)
• Woodland & habitat works
• Access improvements

Colwick Country Park is a busy and well-loved open space, with thousands of visitors passing through each month. It is usually the high profile amenities that receive the most attention in terms of visitors, funding and maintenance: the marina, fishing and swimming lakes and adventure centre. However, the majority of the nonaquatic areas are covered with woodland, a resource currently undervalued and under promoted in terms of visitor attraction. To address this imbalance, works to improve the value of the woodland in terms of amenity and biodiversity are proposed including woodland work, and access is to be improved with path works, seated viewing areas and signage. Woodland works include Ride creation, woodland thinning, invasive species removal and edge habitat creation. Works will involve removal of carefully selected trees to create clearings and open up sight lines for a greater sense of visitor safety as well as improving the value of the woodland for wildlife, creating greater age and structural diversity. Where possible, fallen and standing deadwood will be retained, and larger stumps used for woodcarving to create a trail of sculptures. Dark uninviting areas that currently attract antisocial behaviour will be banished with the removal of extensive mature cherry laurel. Path creation, surfacing, improved signage and provision of benches and bins at strategic viewpoint locations will make the woodlands more accessible, provide an attractive and well sign-posted circular walking route that is inviting and will encourage more visitors to use the woodland for recreation as well as stop and enjoy their surroundings. Interpretation boards will give interested visitors information on the flora and fauna of the Country Park.

This project has been part-financed by grant funding from the European Regional Development Fund, and Wren, and will be subject to conditions imposed by the funding bodies. Suppliers will be expected to comply with the relevant requirements and any associated regulations such as procurement, publicity, and eligibility criteria.