Coopers Meadow - Marlborough
Chalk stream and water meadow habitat restoration The Cooper's Meadow project aims to restore a stretch of urban chalkstream and the adjoining water meadow to create a space for wildlife and a pleasant environment for people to enjoy. The main element of the project has been chalkstream habitat restoration, but in addition, we are working with the Town Council to enhance the water meadow by employing a different management regime. June 2009 Cows in the meadow On Tuesday 2 June 2009, three Belted Galloway Cattle were released into Cooper's Meadow to graze the vegetation. This is part of a two-pronged approach to encouraging the return of a traditional flower-rich watermeadow. Several sections of the meadow have been re-seeded with a wild grass and flower mix and one section is being grazed by cattle in place of the current mowing regime. The cattle will be on the meadow for around a month in the summer and will return late summer/early autumn for another month. 
January 2009 Horsepower kick starts river project
Work on the ground at Coopers Meadow began in earnest this week (December 8, 2008). This is the first stage of a project to revitalise a section of chalk stream, the River Kennet, in Marlborough Town Centre. Twenty-year old hybrid poplars were carefully felled to let light reach the river bed and banks, while the timber will become an intergral part of the new riverbank structure. Local tree surgeon David Oliver experimented using a heavy horse, called 'Mr Horse', instead of vehicles to move felled timber. This traditional method causes much less damage to waterlogged meadow than vehicles. The project is funded by Kennet District Council, the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust, Viridor and the Marlborough Area Development Trust. The project will restore a stretch of urban chalk stream and watermeadow. | 
