Restoration

The restoration of Greenham Common

Since its formation in 1997, Greenham Common Trust has donated £770,000 towards the restoration of Greenham Common.

Following the closure of the former airbase, work began to remove the runways and hardstanding on the Common. Over 1 million tonnes of material, mostly concrete and tarmac, were broken up, recycled from site and sold. The revenue from the sale of materials was used to help fund the restoration of the open areas to heathland and the demolition of the disused buildings and fuel installations.

Concrete removal at Greenham Common

A programme of spreading heather seed was also undertaken in areas where concrete had been removed. The regeneration of heather is proving extremely successful. Heather and gorse on the Common are now being mowed in a rotating cycle lasting several years. Rampant bracken is also being kept under control from spreading with a fern specific herbicide.

Funding from English Partnerships and Greenham Common Trust, generated through the management of its investment in New Greenham Park, also helped to clean up fuel contamination with a process called bioremediation. The contamination was a result of 60 years of aviation fuel storage in large (and inevitably leaky) underground tanks at over 25 sites around the perimeter of the Common.

Bioremediation is a process whereby millions of natural fuel degrading bacteria are sprayed onto the contaminated soil. This avoids the use of chemicals and solves the problem in a natural way. This innovative process was developed especially for the site and has worked successfully at the fuel depot sites where it has been used.

Bioremediation underway at Greenham Common

Whilst the process was taking place there were a number of large scale excavations around the common, with ‘biopiles‘ of contaminated material undergoing treatment. The process is highly dependent on weather conditions and ambient temperatures. The rather cooler than average summer of 1999 meant that the bioremediation process was not as quick as expected. A late ‘Indian Summer‘ did however help to speed it up. The bioremediation process was completed by 2003.

The demolition of the disused buildings and fuel installations began in September 1997. The centre cross of the main runway, the control tower and the fire fighting plane were retained as reminders of the base‘s history.

It is also hoped that at some stage in the future the control tower can be made into a visitor centre where people can view and learn about the varied wildlife on the Common.

The opening up of the heathland started in September 1997 with a small section at the western end and the majority of the heathland was opened to the public in May 2000. The perimeter security fence was removed and replaced by a stock proof fence and ditch with suitably located public access points. Cattle were introduced onto the Common in May 1999 and their grazing helps to maintain the heathland.

More information on Greenham and Crookham Commons can be found at www.greenham-common.org.uk and  www.westberks.gov.uk

Revision Number: 1.6 Created: 10/02/2005 10:18:28 Modified: 01/08/2006 12:01:01