Key Opportunities The creation of a wetland park in this area providing framework mechanisms for integrated land management across the seven lochs could provide a framework to protect and enhance this unique wetland system, incorporating access, education and recreation provision. The Seven Lochs Wetland Park would also offer an important resource as part of long term flood management of the wider urban area. With immediate access from urban communities in (east) Glasgow and North Lanarkshire, there is potential to provide significant local opportunities for education, training and health which, along with the potential to attract users from the wider region, could potentially be a driver for regeneration in adjacent areas. Specific opportunities include: - Expansion of the existing wetland by appropriate management and carefully judged intervention such as impeded drainage, natural colonisation of wetland species and specific habitat enhancements. The ongoing management will be the key factor in retaining, creating or expanding the wetland areas. - Successional planting in areas of TPO mature estate woodland close to Gartloch Hospital to preserve and reinforce the historic landscape structure. - Significant areas of new native woodland planting particularly in areas of former industrial activity such as Gartharmlock Quarry. - Management and restoration of those areas retained as agricultural land including restoration of hedgerow and boundary planting and provision of broad shallow ditches to provide both field drainage and habitat opportunities. There would be an opportunity to introduce meadow management to seasonally wet or flooded fields as part of a wider SUDS management programme.
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- Improving access by expanding and upgrading the existing footpath network to create linkages throughout and across the site including improvements to cycle provision. This provides opportunities for interpretation and orientation signage including links to and from local transport and railway. - Specific management of the emerging Gartloch Pools including investigation of potential contamination and any required remediation. - Promoting local use, community engagement and education through local gateway visitor centres, specific projects and activities such as path restoration, community woodland, school activities, guided nature walks or bird watching groups. - Engagement in any development proposals within the Seven Lochs Wetland Park to limit impact on the landscape character and biodiversity, to ensure appropriate design solutions that maintain the integrity of the wetland network and to avoid fragmentation of the green space. - Identification, use and establishment of the study area as a wetland park will protect its future survival as biodiverse open greenspace, improve perceptions of the wider local area and discourage the existing anti social behaviour problems arising from neglect.