North Wales Globe Way By Mandy Cartwright - North Wales Officer Amphibian and Reptile Conservation has been working in partnership with Flintshire County Council to enhance the habitats of four key nature reserves within the town of Buckley, Flintshire, North Wales. Comprised of a series of ponds, woodland walks and green corridors, Globe Way Nature Reserve was created for mitigation for the growing development of the adjacent industrial estate and forms part of the five mile Buckley heritage trail. Potteries, Brickworks and collieries were the three industries that powered the engine of the town’s prosperity and fashioned the Buckley landscape. When these industries came to an end they left a network of pathways and waterbodies which now are utilised by both wildlife and people. The resulting reserves located within Buckley, are now protected by law, as scientific designated areas for the protection of the great crested newt and wider amphibian assemblage.
North Wales
We have secured vital funds from various sources over the past 4 years, which has enabled us to not only carry out our regular site maintenance, such as pond management and meadow cutting, but also further enhancements to benefit both wildlife and the people that use this site. We have installed an interpretation board, a bench, new gates and fences, bat and bird boxes, a new pond, a newly planted orchard and tools and equipment for our local volunteers to undertake tasks on site.
It is creating and enhancing areas such as this, whether they are existing small urban sites or newly created mitigation sites, that forms the basis of ARC’s presence and activity in North Wales. We look forward to showcasing some of our other Flintshire sites in the near future. “Working in partnership with ARC has been a true win-win experience, it’s been advantageous for both Flintshire and ARC, good for the community, and more importantly great for wildlife.” Tom Woodall Access and Natural Environment Manager Flintshire County Council
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Photo top right: New site interpretation board. Middle left: New gates have been installed. Bottom right: Planting the orchard © Mandy Cartwright (ARC)
