04 Oct Rare visitor sets up home at London Stansted and helps secure top international award
A little-known corner of London Stansted may not be the first place you think of as home to endangered species but the airport’s newly created 2.5 acre habitat creation area is just that for a family of protected great crested newts.
The area has been designed to provide a secluded and protected habitat for animals, insects and plants to thrive. It has four large ponds, rich grassland and a small area of woodland near to the runway on the north-side of the airport.
The ponds have been carefully contoured to encourage newts and rare plants but are covered by netting to discourage birds from the airfield.
The project has already received international recognition by winning a Green Apple Environment Award which will be presented to the team at the Houses of Parliament next month.
It’s the team’s second Green Apple prize, the first was awarded last year for the airport’s donation of over 15 tonnes of food and toiletries to local foodbanks.
