Beautiful new boardwalk for Decoy Country Park

Creative school children have helped make award-winning Decoy Country Park an even better place to be.

Pupils from Decoy Primary School joined up Teignbridge District Council's Countryside Ranger Simon Cunningham and Devon Wildlife Trust to create illustrations and poetry for the handrails of a new boardwalk at Magazine Pond. It has new ramped access for pushchairs and wheelchairs so people have easy and safe access to the water’s edge.

The boardwalk is made from English oak and replaces a previous one in softwood which had come to the end of its life.

Steve Bone, the Deputy Headteacher of Decoy Primary School, said:

“We were delighted to work on the boardwalk project. Decoy Country Park is a wonderful resource to have on the school’sdoorstep; it enhances our curriculum in many ways."

"120 children contributed poetry and artwork to the project and 13 children had elements of their design carved into the handrail and were invited to the opening to see their designs come to life."

“Our children are very proud to be part of such an important element of the project and are looking forward to returning to Magazine Pond soon with their family and friends.”

Teignbridge Countryside Ranger Simon Cunningham said:

“Magazine Pond is a real wildlife oasis. It teems with wildlife including shoals of fish, which often attract tiny but jewel like Kingfishers searching for a tasty meal – we even had a Kingfisher land on the old boardwalk when we were measuring for the new one!"

“Herons and moorhens are regularly seen and we are now looking forward to Spring when visiting schools can come pond dipping for frog spawn and whirligig beetles. Also, colourful dragonflies and damselflies will be easy to see up close.”

Teignbridge, Natural England and the Devon Wildlife Trust are working together to safeguard and improve Wolborough Fen Site of Special Scientific Interest, a rare and wild wetland tucked away in the heart of Decoy Country Park. The boardwalk – which allows people to explore the Green Flag park - was made possible thanks to funding which is part of a Natural England Higher Level Stewardship agreement. This supports conservation management work at Wolborough Fen.

A programme of scrub clearance, sluice installation and detailed survey, arranged by Devon Wildlife Trust which manages most of the Fen, will help keep it safeguarded and enhanced for future generations.

Councillor George Gribble, Teignbridge’s Executive Spokesperson for Communities, Recreation and Leisure said:

“It’s so important that local school children can have a countryside experience and access to wildlife without having to travel too far. Pupils from Decoy Community Primary School, who visit often and know the wildlife of Decoy Country Park well, have produced wonderful illustrations and lines of poetry. "

“Their outstanding work adds to the wonderful experience that Decoy, one of our Green Flag award winning parks, has to offer. Next time you visit, why not take a look?.”

Cllr Carol Bunday, Teignbridge District Council's Ward Member for College, Newton Abbot, said:

"Once again another great achievement for Decoy Country Park. It is great that this scheme has involved pupils from our local school . This is such a positive move between Teignbridge and its partners."

"Once more we can celebrate Decoy maintaining the great high standard it provides to the community enabling all to enjoy yet another wonderful facility. Well done Decoy Country Park."

Cllr Kelvyn Shantry, Teignbridge District Council's Ward Member for College, Newton Abbot, said:

"This is a very special place and the wildlife in and around the pond makes the renovated boardwalk a fantastic place for everybody to watch nature in all its glory."

"It is well worth taking the short detour and time out from this busy world to enter this wonderful peaceful and relaxing place . A jewel in the crown is how I would describe Decoy Country Park - one of Newton Abbot's premier attractions."