Plea to residents to help save dying wildlife in Slough

Plants, trees and wildlife across Slough are at risk of dying out as ponds and streams in Slough run dry, the council has announced, with residents being urged to help save the dying greenery.

The council’s announcement today (Wednesday) comes after the Met Office announced the driest January to June period of weather since 1976.

The Cippenham Pond is completely dried up, with no water in the streams to feed the local landmark.

Furthermore, the pond at Baylis Park is also very low with experts saying the water levels in streams from Haymill Nature Reserve in the north to Mill Stream Lane in the south are at the lowest they have ever seen.

The council’s parks team have issued a plea to residents to help save as many flowers, plants and baby trees as possible by giving them some water when out and about.

Bruce Hicks, parks officer, said the situation was ‘dire’.

“Despite it being cloudier this week there is no rain in the forecast for at least two weeks and our flower displays, planters and new baby trees are all suffering," he said. 

“Brown grass will soon become green again when the rain returns, but some of the flowers and the very young trees will not recover and will be lost forever.

“We have been watering regularly but it has been so dry we have not been able to keep up and the heatwave was the final straw. We need help.”

Councillor Mohammed Nazir, lead member for transport and the local environment at Slough Council, added: “Every tree, every plant, every flower attracts a variety of wildlife and local people can help us protect it all.

“We cannot refill the streams and ponds, but each of us, when out and about, can take a bottle of water and pour it into a planter, or on the roots of a small, staked tree and do our bit to combat the extremely dry weather.

“You don’t need to get a hose out or carry buckets for miles – just a bottle on the way past.

"And if everyone walking their dog, popping to the local chippy or just going to see a friend gives that 500ml we have a chance of saving some of Slough’s greenery.”