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A
VISION FOR BROCKHOLES WETLAND NATURE RESERVE
Brockholes is a 106-hectare site made up of
former gravel workings. It is located to the
NE of Junction 31 of the M6 at a strategic position
in Central Lancashire within the City of Preston.
It offers a major opportunity to sustain and
further develop a high value biodiversity asset
accessible to large numbers of people.
It
will be the hub of a network of wetland sites
in this part of the NW of England, offering
an introduction to wildlife in the region and
a link to other sites.
It
links a mosaic of wildlife havens in the Ribble
Valley. These include adjacent ancient semi-natural
woodlands and unimproved grasslands, in both
of which the Trust plays a key management role
- 190 hectares in total.
Fig
1 The Brockholes Site and the M6 Looking North
Project
Aims
- The
development of Brockholes as a nature conservation
site of regional and national importance
- The
development of Brockholes as a conservation
destination and as a ‘gateway’ to
other biodiversity destinations within the
NW of England
Project
Objectives
1. Secure
ownership of the site to ensure its continued
value for nature conservation.
2.
Design and construct an accessible nature
reserve.
3. Put
in place the management infrastructure to protect
and enhance its wildlife value.
4. Establish
baselines for future monitoring.
5. Develop
the nature reserve and associated visitor facilities
as a regional conservation destination in its
own right.
6. Put
in place facilities to maximise the educational
and volunteer potential of the site.
7. Establish
an income base to generate the funds necessary
to sustain the wildlife value.
8. Develop
partnerships to implement the aims.
9. Develop
Brockholes as a ‘gateway’
into other biodiversity sites in the Region.
10. Contribute to national,
regional and local strategies on biodiversity,
economy and social inclusion.
PHASING
Phase 1 & 2 Project Activities and Outcomes
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ACTIVITY
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OUTPUT
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Land
Acquisition
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1]
112 hectares of land secured
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Staff
Recruitment
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1]
Reserve Manager appointed - 1ft job
2]
Project Manager appointed - 1ft job (short-term
contract)
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Site
Office / Workshop Refurbishment
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1]
100sq.m. 1st phase visitor
centre and site base
2]
165sq.m. workshop
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Phase
1 Nature Reserve Works
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1]
500m access paths [to DDA level]
2]
Internal road network improvements
3]
Management plan prepared
4]
Baseline habitat and species surveys completed
5]
112 hectares of habitat in active management,
including:
- 31ha
of lowland meadow
- 10.5ha
of floodplain grazing marsh
- 7ha
of SSSI wet woodland into favourable
management
- 37ha
of mesotrophic lagoons into management
- A
minimum of 12 ponds created
- 2km
of connected, species-rich hedgerow
planted and 250m derelict hedges restored
6]
Biodiversity monitoring programme in place
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Phase
1 Recreation Works
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1]
750m access paths [to DDA level]
2]
Partnership with the Lancs Outdoor Activities
Initiative set up
3]
1st LOAI courses running
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Establish
New Deal Operation
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1]
New Deal supervisor recruited - 1 ft job
2]
ND base operational
3]
1st Trainees recruited [7 fte jobs -
min 50% from local communities]
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Detailed
Business Plan Produced
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1]
Forward business plan in place detailing
revenue generation actions, management
structures
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Phase
3 Project Activities and Outcomes
The
third phase will involve the further development of the
site to achieve the following results by the
end of the project:
Enhanced
Nature Reserve
- Major
works contract complete
- Formal
reserve opening
- Apprentice
scheme for biodiversity managers in place
[3 no.]
- Continued
monitoring of the Nature Reserve works and
additional enhancement
Site
Management and Partnership Development
- Implementation
of management plan
- Community
Partnership established
- Volunteer
group fully established
- Volunteer
training package in place
SIGNIFICANCE
OF PROJECT
STRATEGIC
BIODIVERSITY RELATIONSHIPS
Brockholes
is part of an extensive complex of regionally
and nationally important nature conservation
sites in this locality which include:
- The
Brockholes Wetlands
- The
Red Scar, Tunbrook and Boilton Ancient Woodlands
(SSSI)
- Pope
Lane Fields Grasslands (LNR)
- The
River Ribble Corridor
This
is one of the best habitat assemblages in
the region combining
- Wetlands
— open water, flood plain, grazing marsh
- Nationally
important complex of ancient woodlands
- One
of the UK’s major Salmon rivers
Fig
2 Biodiversity Context
This
diversity and quality of habitat is unrivalled
in the region. Consequently,
this complex of sites will offer a unique nature
conservation experience to the visitor, certainly
not replicated in the region and arguably not
found elsewhere in the UK in such close proximity
to major urban areas. The Wildlife Trust is
already actively involved in the management
of the adjacent woodlands and grasslands so
can effectively bring all these elements into
a coherent management package to benefit wildlife
and visitors.
CONTRIBUTION
TO BAP TARGETS
Brockholes
is situated at an important location in the
River Ribble corridor just upstream of the tidal
estuary and on the fringe of the Bowland Uplands.
To date observations on its biodiversity have
been largely confined to birdlife, much of which
has been drawn to the site by the existence
of extensive areas of open water. Because the
site has been actively quarried until recently,
it has not been classified in terms of its biodiversity
value. However it is designated as a County
Biological Heritage Site and meets SSSI
criteria.
In
addition to Brockholes, the adjacent Boilton
Wood is wet woodland and, together with Red
Scar and Tunbrook Woods, forms part of the largest
complex of semi natural ancient woodland in
the Lancashire Plains and Valleys Natural Area.
Not only does this area include some of the
best wildlife features in Lancashire but
it also has a major role to play in greening
the Central Lancashire City region.
The
overarching aims of conservation management
will be to bring all habitats into favourable
condition with special emphasis on UK Priority
Habitats and those supporting UK Priority Species,
and to create/expand habitats with a similar
emphasis. Overall objectives are to help to
achieve relevant targets in the UKBAP and Lancashire
LBAP.
ORNITHOLOGICAL
SIGNIFICANCE
To
date, the main driver for securing the future
of Brockholes has been its known importance
for birds.
-
Diversity
of breeding species: A total of 53 species
bred on the site between 2000 and 2005,
47 of them in most years
-
Diversity
of passage and wintering species: An additional
110 species were recorded during the same
period, bringing the total to 163, thus
meeting the guideline for selection as SSSI
(150 species) on the grounds of avian species
diversity.
-
The
open waters and their margins, together
with the grassland, are particularly important
for breeding birds, in particular for waders
(Redshank,
Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher,
Ringed Plover and
Little
Ringed Plover),
and wetland passerines(Sand Martin, Grey
Wagtail, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and
Reed Bunting), as well as Little
and Great Crested Grebes and Kingfisher.
Relict
hedgerows and scrub support, among more
common species, breeding Song
Thrush and Tree Sparrow.
- The
spring assemblage of passage Whimbrel in Lancashire is the
largest in the country. Brockholes is one
of just four roost sites in Lancashire and
is currently the second largest.
- Despite
severe limitations on access due its being
a working quarry, Brockholes has become one
of Lancashire’s major birdwatching sites,
attracting regular visitors from throughout
east and central Lancashire. Local ornithologists
are confident it could become one of NW England’s
major wetland sites, on a par with Leighton
Moss, Marshside and Martin Mere.
Birdwatching
at the Reinstated Lagoon to the South of the
Access Road
LONG
TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND ENHANCEMENT
Recent
reports from Defra, English Nature, the Environment
Agency and NWDA all clearly demonstrate that
a significant demand for accessible nature conservation
sites in the North West exists and is growing.
The key attraction of wetland sites as a nature
conservation experience is that people can readily
observe biodiversity in action.
The
M6 from Brockholes
The
Wildlife Trust will develop:
- a
network
of routes around
the site to maximise opportunities for seeing
wildlife,
- support
recreational
use
on certain of the water bodies, in particular
angling for younger people help them use the
site in a positive way,
- a
joint venture to ensure small scale recreation
use of the area, particularly to engage with
young people from local communities,
- develop
the site’s educational potential
and provide training facilities. The
Trust has an excellent record of delivering
successful training outcomes with its
delivery of New Deal being particularly valued
in the sub-region.
We
are determined that any visitor facilities will
not compromise our primary aim of securing Brockholes
as a site for nature conservation. Access to
the site will be carefully managed by the routing
of footpaths and activities away from sensitive
areas. This ‘zoning’ will also help
us to ensure visitors enjoy the site safely.
We have used this approach at our other wetland
nature reserves, Mere Sands Wood and Wigan Flashes.
Boilton
Wood from Brockholes
STRATEGIC
RELATIONSHIPS
Wetlands
form an extremely important component of biodiversity
in NW England. There are sites of regional,
national and international importance, which
are managed by a range of conservation organisations
to create a network of sites unequalled on the
western fringe of Europe. Brockholes compliments
and adds to that network.
Brockholes
and the Lancashire Wetlands Network
Downloadable
information
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