ENVIRONMENTAL chiefs will be chopping down a number of trees at one of Hampshire's most diverse wetland areas.

From Monday (February 15) for about six weeks, contractors with Test Valley Borough Council will undertake work to reduce 20 poplar trees at Romsey Canal and Fishlake Meadows.

They will also remove a number of trees in a small plantation in the north-west area of the site.

Due to their age the trees are starting to and as a result they present a “significant risk to structure of the bank” and to the public because of the number of branches dropping.

Community and leisure portfolio holder, Councillor Tony Ward, said: “This work is necessary to maintain the both the canal bank and to safeguard the public who walk along the canal. During the work, the public footpaths will be closed and we would ask the public to please observe the safety signs.”

Romsey environmentalist Andy Lester, said these are “non-native trees” which fall over once they get to a certain height.

He said: “There’s no warning, they just get to a certain height and then fall.

“The minute you get a tree falling over it will breach the canal and silt will build up.”

He added that the risk to human life was minimal but had to be taken into account.

An abundance of wildlife, including rare otters, bats, dragonflies and wetland birds live at the 60 hectare site lying to the north of the town.

Some of the native species of birds include 66 on the list of birds of greatest conservation concern including ospreys, Cetti’s warbler and grasshopper warbler.

It features a mix of open water and standing water, reed bed and swamp and flood plain marsh which is criss-crossed by rivers and ditches.

Arguably the most outstanding feature is its bird life, with more than 150 species recorded so far.

It is a rich mosaic of wildlife habitats, comprising areas of open and standing water, reedbeds, swamp and flood plain marsh which is criss-crossed by a network of rivers and ditches.

Species including European otter and European water vole are also resident, as well as 19 recorded species of dragonfly and damselfly, and 115 recorded plant species.

Bosses at Test Valley Borough Council said the work will benefit the canal by reducing dense over-shading and increasing light levels.

They added that it will also improve the views across the site.

Contractors will use a crane to lift sections of timber over the canal and this will then be taken to a nearby site to be recycled for use as biomass fuel.

In Fishlake Meadows, the work will involve the removal of a plantation of poplar trees which suffered significant damage during the storms in 2014.

The contractors will fell the trees and the timber will remain on site where it will be retained as a habitat for plants and other wildlife.