Project receives £500K funding to support South London’s amphibians
The National Lottery Fund has announced £573,078 in funding to improve a stretch of land covering fields, parks and woodlands in South London.
The funding will go towards the Blue Chain Project, a scheme led by charity organisation Froglife, to create 100 new ponds which will run along the historic 52-mile London Green Chain walking route.
The London Green Chain covers 50 miles from the Thames in eastern Bexley to Nunhead Cemetery in Southwark, crossing fields, parks, allotments, woodlands and other greenspaces in Bexley, Greenwich, Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark.
The Blue Chain project aims to create and restore freshwater habitats to support the growth of amphibian and reptile populations along the existing route, as well as creating wildlife corridors in the surrounding housing estates, schools and allotments.
The funding is part of a larger project by the National Lottery fund to pump £15.6million into green spaces across the UK to make it easier for people to access natural sites.
Kathy Wormald, chief executive of Froglife, said: “This will make a massive difference for wildlife and, through a novel range of activities, support new skills, knowledge and mental and physical health.”
Pictured top: From left, Xavier Mahele and Kate Bradbury digging the first of the 100 new ponds for the new Blue Chain walking route (Picture: Oliver Dixon)
