Water company praised as natural lake comes to life

07th November 2013

Stuart Paterson, Network Technician, Sembcorp Bournemouth Water (right) and James Short, Outdoor Education Leader, The Bourne Academy (left) together with SBW's Hazel Taylor and students watch as the lake is filled.

The company agreed to fill a 30 metre by 10 metre crater in the grounds of The Bourne Academy with nearly half a million litres of water.

The lake, which is on a three acre piece of land at the Hadow Road campus, now forms part of an outdoor education site.

Current activities include bushcraft, survival and practical leadership tasks.

Future plans include turning the site into a cross curricular outdoor learning area where science, English, drama and music students can enjoy a range of activities.

James Short, The Bourne Academy's Outdoor Education Leader, said: "Science can pond dip, do studies on grasses and trees and look at the wildlife and eco systems.

"The English department can come out and read under a beautiful canopy of trees and listen to a chorus of wildlife all around. Drama and music can also use the site.

"Activities I would love to run on the lake include fishing, raft building, kayaking and so on. The list is endless.

"This is a really exciting project for our community and we're very grateful to Sembcorp Bournemouth Water for agreeing to fill the lake without charge."

More than 600 trees, including Rowan, Silver Birch, Oak and Cherry, have been planted on the site and it's hoped the natural lake will also promote more waterborne wildlife.

Roger Harrington, SBW's Managing Director, said: “Water in this new lake will form the basis of a new and potentially rich habitat for a range of wildlife.

"We are pleased to support this in a small way so that the students can learn more first-hand about the factors that influence a healthy local water environment.”