RSPB'S Beckingham Marshes wildlife reserve opens
A wetland area the size of 100 football pitches which is designed to
attract wildlife has opened to the public.
The
Beckingham Marshes reserve in the Trent Valley, on the Nottinghamshire
Lincolnshire boarder, has taken three years to complete.
The RSPB
said the creation of pools and wet ditches across an area of floodplain grassland over 350,000 sq metres (86 acres)
has already attracted lapwing, water voles, owls and hares.
A joint
initiative between the RSPB and the Environment Agency has opened a new trail leading
from the Old Willow Works in Beckingham.
Michael Copleston, RSPB Site
Manager hopes local visitors using the new short trail from the Old Willow
Works building will enjoy the wide landscape views and catch a glimpse of the
dragonflies, tree sparrows and lapwings that are settling into the new reserve.
Michael comments: “The hard work
is now really beginning to pay off, it’s been fantastic to see new records of
curlew, lapwing, water voles, barn owls and brown hares, to name just a few of
the species that Beckingham Marshes are supporting”
RSPB Volunteer, Chris du Feu
says:” The reserve is already different with all sorts of species returning. A
pair of Curlews seeing off a hunting Buzzard was a sight unimaginable here,
even five years ago. The future is bright.”
The new reserve has nearly 100
large wet ponds, 4 km of ditches and 3 windpumps to circulate water around the
wetland features. All of the hard work has been generously supported by
funders, including Heritage Lottery Fund, WREN, Natural England, the
Environment Agency and Biffa Award, whose money has helped create the largest
wet grassland creation project for Nottinghamshire.
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/beckinghammarshes
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