Discover

Discover The Parish Ponds, Woolsington – a vital upstream hub in the Ouse Burn Valley

Where is Woolsington?

Woolsington is a semi-rural village and civil parish located in the north-west of Newcastle upon Tyne, around five miles from the city centre. Woolsington Parish is a large geographic area and consists of the Wards of Bedeburn, Newbiggin Hall, Callerton and Woolsington & Bank Foot.

The Parish is home to Newcastle International Airport and, additionally, the source of the Ouse Burn rises on its western border. In fact, 3 miles of the river flow through the Parish, plus 10 miles of tributaries, making it a key part of the catchment’s health and future.

With ponds, woodlands and surrounding farmland, the Upper Ouse Burn catchment in Woolsington Parish contributes significantly to biodiversity, water quality and climate resilience in the region.

Why are the Parish Ponds important to the Ouse Burn Way?

Because Woolsington Parish sits at the headwaters of the Ouse Burn, what happens here directly impacts the river’s health downstream, from Jesmond Dene along the Ouseburn Valley to the River Tyne.

Its habitats and green spaces need ongoing care to manage invasive species, support wildlife and maintain the natural flow and quality of water through the catchment.

What makes the Parish Ponds’ blue spaces special?

Ponds like the restored Parish Ponds are thriving habitats that support amphibians, birds, insects, and aquatic plants, including nationally threatened species.

The Parish Ponds & Upper Ouse Burn are among the Parish’s most important “blue spaces.” They include two main water bodies – the Main Pond and the Lily Pond – created in the early 1990s after open-cast mining restoration. Over time they have transformed into wildlife-rich environments, supporting swans, mallards, Canada geese, herons, plus many other over-wintering species of birds, amphibians, aquatic plants and pollinators. They show how former industrial land can be restored into thriving community and nature assets.

These “blue spaces” act as oases in the urban fringe, giving wildlife safe passage and offering people places to pause, explore nature, exercise and connect with their surroundings.

In partnership with the Landowner, Woolsington Parish Council has led the way in conserving these spaces through long-term projects that aim to:

• Preserve and enhance natural habitats
• Connect and maintain wildlife corridors
• Improve community health and wellbeing through access to nature

What impact has restoration had?

Woolsington Parish Council has been running its Biodiversity Project since 2018 in support of the Newcastle City Council’s Green Infrastructure Plan and Bee-friendly City Strategy. This includes the planting of trees, spring bulbs, shrubs and hedgerow, flowers and wildflowers while focusing on local wildlife benefits.

The biodiversity work in Woolsington Parish is having a marked impact. Highlights include:

• Thousands of trees planted across airport and Parish land (North East Community Forest)
• New hedgerows to support habitat connectivity
• Invasive Water Soldier removed from the Parish Ponds, restoring light, oxygen and space for native aquatic life
• Management of non-native shrubs
• Return of wetland birds, toad and frogspawn, swan mussels and pollinators to improved habitats
• Creation of wildflower meadows, revised mowing and native bulb planting
• Installation of bird, bat, and insect boxes across Abbotswood and surrounding areas

What is the Ouse Burn Way, and how does it involve the Parish Ponds Project?

The Ouse Burn Way is a seven-mile green corridor that stretches from the River Tyne to Weetslade Country Park. The Parish Ponds Project forms a vital part of this vision, not only geographically, but in the way it demonstrates community-led action and partnership working.

Local conservation work in the Parish Ponds & Upper Ouse Burn shows how natural spaces can help tackle flooding, improve water quality, and restore biodiversity across the catchment. The Parish Ponds also form part of Newcastle’s Blue Spaces programme, which highlights the mental health and wellbeing benefits of natural water features.

Through collaboration, the Ponds Project on the Upper Ouse Burn helps tackle catchment-wide issues:

• Water pollution: Constructed ponds and wetlands help naturally filter pollutants before they enter the river
• Surface runoff and flooding: Tree planting, meadowland paths and sustainable drainage features slow rainwater and reduce erosion
• Loss of wildlife corridors: Strategic planting and habitat restoration connect key green spaces, such as Abbotswood, Woolsington Woods and the Parish Ponds, creating safer routes for wildlife to move through the landscape

How will the Ouse Burn catchment in Woolsington Parish benefit from the Ouse Burn Way Vision?

Improving the Ouse Burn requires joined-up thinking across communities. What is happening in Woolsington Parish is a living example of what can be achieved when local action feeds into a bigger, catchment-wide strategy. Through the Ouse Burn Way Vision, it is helping to create a sustainable, nature-rich future for everyone who lives, works or plays along the Valley.

You can follow the latest updates from the Parish Ponds and Upper Ouse Burn community project on Facebook:

The main page is:

https://www.facebook.com/ParishPondsAndUpperOuseburn/

If you would like to `follow` just select ‘Like’ (top right)