Editing Milton Keynes (section)

===Parks and environmental infrastructure===
Because of the (poorly drained) clay soils and the urban hard surfaces, the [[Milton Keynes Development Corporation|development corporation]] identified water runoff into the Ouzel and its tributaries as a significant risk to be managed and so put in place two large balancing lakes ([[Caldecotte Lake|Caldecotte]] and [[Willen Lake|Willen]]) and a number of smaller [[detention pond]]s.<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/city-has-been-built-to-avoid-worst-flooding-1-5873959 | title= City has been built to avoid worst flooding | work= [[Milton Keynes Citizen]] | date= 13 February 2014 | access-date= 15 April 2019 | archive-date= 14 April 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190414231039/https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/city-has-been-built-to-avoid-worst-flooding-1-5873959 | url-status= live }}</ref> These provide an important leisure amenity for most of the year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theparkstrust.com/activities/ | title=Activities | publisher=[[Milton Keynes Parks Trust]] | access-date=7 May 2019 | archive-date=7 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507114336/https://www.theparkstrust.com/activities/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Building in the floodplains of the Ouse and Ouzel was precluded too, thus providing long-distance linear parks that are within easy reach of most residents.
 
The north basin of [[Willen Lake]] is a [[bird sanctuary]].<ref name="destination MK"/>

The two Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Howe Park Wood and Oxley Mead, are the most significant of a number of important wildlife sites in and around MK.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://mknhs.org.uk/wildlife-sites-2/ | title= Wildlife Sites | work= Milton Keynes Natural History Society | date= 6 September 2015 | access-date= 11 March 2019 | archive-date= 20 April 2018 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180420190835/http://mknhs.org.uk/wildlife-sites-2/ | url-status= live }}</ref>

Just outside the Milton Keynes urban area lies [[Little Linford Wood]], a [[wildlife conservation|conservation site]] and [[nature reserve]] managed by the [[Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust]]. It is considered to be one of the best habitats for [[dormice]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-reserves/little-linford-wood|title=Little Linford Wood|publisher=Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust|access-date=31 January 2021|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126234010/https://www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-reserves/little-linford-wood|url-status=live}}</ref>