Wildlife protected and given new homes

Details of the work being undertaken to preserve the range of wildlife found by ecology experts on the 2.5 sq km site were revealed today by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

Although the area has suffered from decades of neglect and industrial use, the wetlands, waterways and woodland areas have been natural habitats for several species and as work on site accelerates the ODA has been taking steps to ensure they are protected.

Almost 2,000 newts and hundreds of toads have already been relocated into specially constructed ponds and an artificial nest has been built for sand martins within the Waterworks Nature Reserve, which is visited by thousands of local schoolchildren every year. Fish, including pike and eels, have been relocated from the small Pudding Mill River at the Olympic Stadium site into the River Lea.

In addition, the ODA has carried out over 18 dawn surveys to check for black redstart birds and twilight surveys to check for roosting bat activity across the site.

The ODA will continue a rolling programme of ecology work.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘We have moved into the next phase of the project where activity on the park changes gear - the site is being cleaned up, demolition of existing buildings has accelerated and bridges are being built.

'A great deal of work is also being done to ensure that we minimise any disruption to existing habitats and protect the wildlife on the site during this period.'