Meet Sussex water firm’s roof protectors (From The Argus)
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Meet Sussex water firm’s roof protectors
7:00pm Wednesday 30th January 2013 in News
Mark Dunn with a great horned owl – Picture by Nigel Bowles/Connors
Birds of prey have been deployed at a waste water plant to prevent crows and seagulls ruining its roof.
The 18,000 sq m living roof on Southern Water’s facility in Peacehaven – made up of downland grasses – has been in place since September 2011.
Goshawks, Harris hawks, a golden eagle and a great horned owl are being brought on to the site regularly until the crows and seagulls learn that there is a threat in the area and stay away.
Richard Hodgson, Southern Water’s project manager, said: “This is one of the largest green roofs in the UK which has been designed to blend these new works into the surrounding landscape.
“The crows and gulls see it as a freshly mowed field and have starting foraging for food.
“To protect the grass roof, and allow it chance to mature, we are using this natural approach to bird control.”
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