The Truxor amphibious harverter, with its cutters raised. It runs on rubber caterpillar tracks, which propels and steers it on water and land.
As most will know, Marsworth has the largest area of reedbed in Hertfordshire and is home to at least one Bittern each winter. As part of the Species Action Plan for Bitterns, with which FoTR are involved, British Waterways and the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust carried out survey work at Marsworth, which identified the need to increase feeding opportunities for Bitterns.
To address this shortcoming, British Waterways has paid for a number of channels and pools to be cut into the reedbed, using an amphibious reed-cutting machine called a ‘Truxor Amphibious Harvester’. The channels and pools will encourage fish to enter the reedbed from the open water of the reservoir where they will then be accessible to Bitterns, feeding in the increased length of reed to water interface. One of the objectives of the Hertfordshire Bittern Action Plan is to attract one booming male or breeding pair by 2014. In 2003 and 2008 a Bittern was heard booming at Marsworth, albeit briefly. We hope that by continuing to improve the quality of the reedbed habitats at Tring, a breeding pair may eventually settle to breed.
As well as improving the reedbed for Bitterns, the work was designed to help to imporove the water quality in the Reservoir and thus reduce the risk of Blue-green Algae developing. As reeds die down each Autumn, that year's growth eventually rots down adding nutrients to the water. Removing the cut reeds will directly remove nutrients from the reservoir and as new reeds grow in the Spring, they will take further nutrients out of the water.
The amphibious reed cutter was at Marsworth from the 6th to 10th October 2008. Not only was British Waterways and the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust involved, but members of the Friends of Tring Reservoirs and the Tring Ringing Group, with whom we work very closely, helped to determine where the channels and pools should be sited, to avoid the known roosting area used by our wintering Corn Buntings and the areas used for the long term ringing work.
And, as a by product of this work, the bird-watchers amongst us will have improved views into the heart of the reedbed.
These are some photographs of the machine at work, taken on Wednesday 8 October, as work progressed (all by Keith Evans)
The Truxor amphibious harverter, with its cutters raised. It runs on rubber caterpillar tracks, which propels and steers it on water and land.
One of many passes needed to cut one of the channels. Doesn't it look fun!!!
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