50@50 5 New reserves

Hill 60

Open: Visit 365 days a year, no restrictions. Parking: Limited street-side parking on Fell View.

Accessibility: Unsurfaced paths, might not be suitable for all users.

Time of year: Worth a visit year-round, but as the management work proceeds, early summer should be a good time for wildflowers.

What to see:

Over the next 30 years Durham Wildlife Trust will be restoring nature at Hill 60, a two-hectare pasture at the heart of Crawcrook village. Hill 60 is a local landmark that has special meaning for the residents of Crawcrook, and provides a place where people can enjoy a little bit of nature on their doorstep. The name Hill 60 is thought to have come from the Ypres Salient, where local men, serving in the Northumberland Fusiliers, fought during the First World War. The Trust’s work will focus on restoring the grassland to bring wildflowers back to Hill 60. This will involve cutting and removing some annual grass growth, alongside conservation grazing and wildflower seed introduction. The mature hedgerows will be managed to maintain their interest to birds, and new hedges will be planted that will provide additional habitat in the future.

The Folly was once an industrial landscape. A sand quarry up to its closure in 1966, The Folly provided raw materials needed by local industry, and was then operated as a landfill site, gradually being infilled over a 12-year period, then capped and restored. Although the habitats created since the restoration of the landfill site are still relatively young, the blocks of broadleaf woodland, mix of established and newly planted hedgerow, and the seasonal pond, create a mosaic of habitats that support a broad range of wildlife. The grassland, which accounts for the majority of the site, supports plants and insects now threatened due to habitat loss. Since the Second World War the UK has lost an incredible 97% of its flower-rich grasslands. Management of this site will focus on implementing conservation grazing through the late summer and autumn months, and the annual maintenance of new hedgerows. Linnet, song thrush, chiffchaff, house sparrow, white throat, goldfinch, heath bedstraw, bird’s-foot trefoil, common sorrel, tormentil, field scabious, wax cap fungi.

The Folly

Visit:

Open: Visit 365 days a year, no restrictions. Parking: Limited parking on Long Ridge Road. Accessibility: Unsurfaced paths, might not be suitable for all users.

Time of year: Best in June, July, August for the grassland.

What to see:

Skylark, bullfinch, kestrel, primrose, cowslip, bird’s-foot trefoil, meadow vetchling, hawkweeds, common spotted orchid, harebell, and agrimony, common blue, ringlet, and meadow brown butterflies.

Chopwell East Fields Westwood Meadow

ALocal Wildlife Site situated between the village of Chopwell and the woodland that shares its name. The site, a restored former colliery, hosts a range of habitats, including a number of different grassland types. Of particular note is the locally-rare lowland acid grassland, and there is also lowland meadow and wet grassland. Management will focus on implementing conservation grazing through the late summer and autumn months, and the annual maintenance of new hedgerows. A n example of what a passion for wildlife can achieve, Westwood Meadow is a small, but perfectly formed, testament to the work of Andrew and Noreen James. At just over half a hectare in size, this herb-rich lowland meadow may be one of Durham Wildlife Trust’s smaller sites, but it has been nurtured for decades by the James family. In addition to the conservation of the site itself, this meadow will be a catalyst for grassland projects across the Derwent Valley and has already contributed seed towards restoration at Chopwell Meadows and The Folly. Management will focus on maintaining the high quality of the meadow habitat, with an annual hay cut in late July, along with aftermath grazing through to October with sheep.

Visit:

Open: Visit 365 days a year, no restrictions.

Parking: Limited parking off South Road.

What to see:

Accessibility: Unsurfaced paths, might not be suitable for all users.

Time of year: Best in June, July, August for the grassland.

Roe deer, kestrel, jay, meadow vetchling, goat’s-beard, common knapweed, and intermediate lady’s-mantle, common and greater bird’s-foot trefoil, cuckoo-flower, oval sedge, and common valerian.

Victoria Garesfield

Areclaimed colliery site, this reserve has been extensively planted with alder and white poplar in the past. Sycamore, black poplar, silver birch, and broom have also naturally colonised, together with the ground flora associated with ancient woodland sites. The species-rich grassland at Victoria Garesfield is especially worthy of note. Management will include annual hay cuts of the grassland, along with woodland management.

Visit:

Open: Visit 365 days a year, no restrictions.

Parking: Limited parking off Linztford Lane. Accessibility: Unsurfaced paths, might not be suitable for all users.

Time of year: Something to see all year round.

Visit:

Given the high quality and small size of Westwood Meadow, the site will remain closed to visitors, but keep an eye out for information on organised visits to the meadow and other grasslands in the Derwent Valley.

What to see:

Lady’s mantle, betony, orchids, oxeye daisy, meadow vetchling, yellow rattle, great burnet.

Ricknall Carrs

Durham Wildlife Trust’s Discover Brightwater Landscape Partnership is already restoring habitats across the catchment of the River Skerne. Sections of the canalised river channel have been renaturalised and lost wetlands, once part of Durham’s historic Carrs, are being restored for nature. In March, the Trust took a further step towards realising its vision for the Great North Fen by purchasing 61 hectares of grassland on the Skerne floodplain just north-east of Newton Aycliffe. The land, lying between the A1 and the East Coast Main Line railway, is at Ricknall Carrs, one of the historic wetlands that once extended across the catchment of the River Skerne. Durham Wildlife Trust was able to purchase the land thanks to funding from Veolia and Durham County Council. Currently semi-improved grassland, through the winter these fields become waterlogged and the wet grassland and pools that are created attract large numbers of wading and wetland birds, including flocks of curlew, lapwing and golden plover. The site requires work to allow it to reach its full potential for wildlife, as opportunities exist to improve not just the over-wintering habitat, but to also ensure this site supports breeding populations of waders. Work will commence this autumn on creating pools and scrapes to help hold water on the surface for longer. Channels will also be created, mimicking those that would have once criss-crossed the area before the River Skerne was canalised to help drain the land. Additional seeding and planting will be undertaken to re-introduce many of the wetland plants that would have thrived on the fens and wetlands of the Durham Carrs.

The Trust will be working in partnership with neighbouring farmers to manage this site through conservation grazing, once habitat creation works are completed.

Visit:

This is a closed site, given the sensitivity of the bird species present and the access constraints created by the A1 and railway – features that help to reduce disturbance and maintain wildlife interest. However, the Trust will be organising supervised visits to show members the work that is underway and there will be ongoing supervised access for members at appropriate times of year. Keep a look out in the magazine and online for information on site visits.

What to see:

Lapwing, curlew, redshank, oystercatcher, golden plover, greylag goose, pink-footed goose, heron, snipe, teal, goosander, shell duck, wigeon.