The Point of Ayre - Working in partnership for Manx nature and the community

The central lagoon at the embryonic Manx BirdLife Point of Ayre National Reserve. Photo by Neil G. Morris.

In the first project of its kind in the Isle of Man, nature conservation charity Manx BirdLife is leading a partnership of Island Aggregates, the Isle of Man Government and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to create a very special place for nature and people.

Genesis of a new nature reserve

The Point of Ayre headland lies at the northernmost tip of the Isle of Man’s glacial Northern Plain. Here, Island Aggregates (a Northstone Company) is quarrying for minerals to meet the Manx nation’s demand for construction resources.

In 2019, Island Aggregates leased 105 acres of finished quarry to Manx BirdLife. As further compartments are exhausted of their commercial product, these will be added to the leaseholding. Ultimately, the goal is to restore for nature an area in excess of 400 acres – representing a huge gain for wildlife in this small Island territory. The project is an opportunity to redress the loss of valuable wetland habitat across the Island. Moreover, the remaining wetlands on the Island are typically formed of either acidic peat water or fed by overly nutrified agricultural run-off. In contrast, the water that now fills the impressive pits left by quarrying is a combination of clean rainwater and both upland and lowland water that has percolated underground through the porous glacial substrate and been stripped of its acidity and nutrients. This makes for a unique wetland ecosystem on the Island – supporting an unrivalled assemblage of native Manx species as well as naturally-arriving novel species attracted to this new habitat. It’s a win-win for biodiversity.

Nature restoration strategy

The restoration strategy is simple: optimise conditions for nature first, and then share the benefits with Island residents and visitors.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, family trusts, the Island community, RSPB members and the support of the Manx Government,

Family groups of wild Icelandic Whooper Swans seek winter refuge in the former quarry. Photo by Neil G. Morris.

Manx BirdLife has secured the funds to employ a Reserve Manager to oversee the development and day-to-day management of the initial 105-acre nature reserve.

With the input of Island Aggregates and RSPB, a visionary blueprint for the evolution of the overall site has been created, along with an ecologically-friendly finishing plan for the active quarry and a ‘habitats and species’ plan for the initial reserve. Manx BirdLife is now moving to phase two of its fundraising strategy, seeking funds to install a world-class visitor centre and education hub onsite.

Nature finding a new home

Already, the initial 105-acre reserve is thriving with wildlife. Biodiversity and abundance is increasing, while carbon is actively captured in the food web that is rapidly developing in the water system and surrounding vegetation – all from an initially inert industrial wasteland. Recent research suggests that nature restoration projects in quarry systems can sequester more carbon than even marine projects. Red-listed species such as Teal, Pochard, Eider, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Snipe and five species of gull have benefitted. Five species of orchid have so far been discovered, including the Island’s biggest colony of the spectacular Bee Orchid. Myriad other plants, butterflies, moths, beetles and fungi have made their home here. Species of breeding and visiting dragonflies never before recorded on the Isle of Man have been discovered around the central lagoon and peripherals fireponds. Growing numbers of wildfowl seek winter refuge on the reserve, including majestic herds of Icelandic Whooper Swans and even the occasional flock of the globally rare Greenland White-fronted Goose. The year-round wildfowl assemblage is already the most diverse and populous of any freshwater site on the Island.

Being located within the most northerly headland of the Island also makes for brilliant birdwatching during the spring and autumn migration periods. Wading birds such as Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits and Whimbrels are joined by Greenland Wheatears and passing Scottish Ospreys. At times, the surface of the lagoon shimmers with hundreds of Swallows and Sand Martins feeding on emerging insects. The site’s rarity list is equally impressive, including Asian Rose-coloured Starlings, Nearctic Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher, eastern Blyth’s Reed Warbler and Redflanked Bluetail among many more.

Blue-tailed Damselfly. Photos by Neil G. Morris.

The Willow Warbler is a sub-Saharan migrant breeder in the Willows that line the water’s edge. Photos by Neil G. Morris.

The future

This is a long-term project, with quarrying and nature restoration expected to continue hand-inhand for many years yet. The vision is to create a centre of excellence for nature conservation, environmental education and research. The partnership has engaged the Island community in the project from the outset and will continue to keep everyone informed of progress and plans. Through supervised visits, Manx Birdlife is providing as many opportunities as possible to share this amazing project and its early results. Through careful stewardship and resource management, this is a project that can support both the Isle of Man’s long-term economic growth and its environmental – biodiversity and climate – responsibilities. It is all the more powerful thanks to a strong partnership that brings together the commercial and ecological skills needed to create a lasting legacy and enduring natural asset for the Island's community.

Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly. Photos by Neil G. Morris. The reserve already hosts the best Manx population of the spectacular Bee Orchid. Photo by Neil G. Morris.