New £90,000 Wetlands Nature Reserve For Seaton Park

26 April 2016

Work has begun to transform flooded grassland into a stunning nature reserve at one of Aberdeen’s most popular parks.

Seaton Park is a popular, historic resource which combines landscaped gardens, play parks and green space within a natural wooded habitat.

However, in recent years, parts of the green space, including popular playing fields, have been devastated by flooding, rendering them unusable.

Now a major programme of works will begin to embrace the recent environmental changes – including a man-made wetland surrounded by natural plants and a wooden viewing point.

With an investment of £90,000, Aberdeen City Council will lead the project in partnership with community group Friends of Seaton Parks to enhance the natural biodiversity, attracting more wildlife to the space and encourage greater community use.

Aberdeen City Council Leader, Councillor Jenny Laing, said: “This aspirational project is incredibly exciting not just as an environmental exercise but also as a programme of community development.

“Seaton Park is much loved by everyone in Aberdeen and we are grateful to the Friends of Seaton Park who have committed so much energy to this project. Their input has been invaluable.”

She added: “Seaton Park is home to the Aberdeen Kayak club, it sits on the banks of the River Don, is shouldered by St Machar Cathedral and features beautiful landscaped gardens.

“It is only right and proper that we invest in the open spaces which also sit within its walls.

“This project will not only create a new natural habitat in the park for wildlife and the community to enjoy, but will also allow us to restore the playing fields which were filled with activity before they were rendered unusable by the flooding.”

The works at Seaton Park includes digging out the wetland, repairing drainage, and adding paths, signage and planting.

The new Seaton Park reserve was inspired by the recent success of the East Tullos Burn Environment Improvements Project at St Fittick’s Park, where flooding was alleviated with the inclusion of wetlands to manage water levels from the burn, as well as improved access and increased biodiversity.