As with most lowland counties, Lincolnshire has lost a vast amount of wildlife habitat in the last 60 years, due to the easy contours of the land and fertile soils for agricultural production. However, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has managed to safeguard many of the remaining pockets of habitat that are now mainly confined to nature reserves. Although protected, these areas need to be actively managed to conserve what is special, for example by scrub clearance or grazing of heathland, coppicing of woodland, hay making in meadows and harvesting of reedbeds.
A five-year programme, funded by HLF and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, aimed to enhance habitats on 59 of their reserves, increase volunteer involvement and encourage the public to use the reserves.
Each reserve had a tailor-made management plan; machinery, buildings and tools were acquired and the Trust’s own flock of Hebridean sheep now graze some of the flower-rich grassland reserves. All importantly, volunteers were trained in management skills, monitoring and wardening, and their enthusiasm continues to grow.
Benefits to the wildlife quality of the reserves have been considerable. Sensitive cutting and harvesting of the reedbeds at Far Ings have resulted in an increase in birds such as marsh harriers as well as the return of the elusive bittern. At Gibraltar Point wading birds have been provided with new feeding areas and a large bird hide enables visitors to watch them. At Toby’s Hill the important dune habitat has been reinstated by scrub control and grazing, and new breeding areas have been created for natterjack toads.
Membership of the Wildlife Trust has more than doubled during the project, so with the support of local people it is likely that the conservation of these jewels in amongst this largely arable landscape will continue.
FEEDBACK
"I started volunteering at Far Ings on a one-month work placement through university. That was six years ago. It’s very rewarding; helping with the sheep and getting involved with shearing and lambing. And it’s great to be putting something back into the environment. It’s become an obsession rather than just volunteering! I volunteer every Wednesday and on holidays, and I’ve even bought my own sheep - five Hebrideans."
Faye Marshall, Volunteer at Far Ings Nature Reserve.