The Magic of Potteric Carr

The Magic of Potteric Carr Andy Dalton

Did you know that just three miles from the centre of Doncaster lies an incredibly rich and diverse nature reserve that is almost twice as big as London’s Hyde Park? Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Potteric Carr nature reserve is a real hidden gem, providing a vital respite for both wildlife to be protected and flourish, and for people to escape urban living and rediscover some of Yorkshire’s amazing wildlife. Since its formation in 1968, Potteric Carr has grown considerably. In the post-war years, a small but keen group began to take an avid interest in the animals and plants of the area. This culminated in the leasing of 13 hectares around Low Eller’s Marsh from British Rail by the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Trust - which later became Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Within the next 10 years, the nature reserve grew to over 100 hectares, took on its first paid employee and was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to acknowledge its importance as a valuable space for wildlife. In 1993, Sir David Attenborough visited Potteric Carr to celebrate its 25th anniversary, where he praised the efforts of the public and voluntary sectors in working together to create such an important green space. In 1994 there were some worrying proposals to give 1,500 hectares of land around the reserve for development. In response, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust were resolved to not only protect Potteric Carr, but make it bigger and better than ever before. Over the next 19 years, this plan was fulfilled thanks to the tremendous efforts of all those involved. Significant amounts of external funding were required to undertake the work, most notably from the EU. Visitor facilities were improved with the completion of the field centre in

Sunset at Potteric Carr © Neil Aldridge

2005 along with 10 new bird hides. More and more land was acquired, and today Potteric Carr covers over 265 hectares, with a further 100 hectares surrounding the nature reserve forming a buffer zone. In December 2016, the new visitor centre opened which has attracted over 40,000 visitors during its first year.

Potteric Carr is a superb place to visit, offering six miles of footpaths to explore and enjoy the reserve freely. It’s a particularly amazing place for birdwatching - over 230 species have been recorded, some particularly rare! We have special hides that allow you to get up close and personal with birds such as woodpeckers and kingfishers, and also the many wading birds that visit Potteric Carr during the year – including the globally threatened bittern, who you may be lucky enough to see amongst the reedbeds in winter.

As well as large areas of wetlands, we have several ponds which provide a home for newts, frogs and whirligig beetles (we run special events in spring and summer with staff on hand to show you the best spots for pond dipping). The meadows during summer are full of butterflies and abuzz with insects on warm afternoons – look out for the purple hairstreak and brown argus butterfly, and the banded demoiselle damselfly.

Some seasonal highlights: Spring: Plants - Colt's foot Birds - Black-necked grebe; marsh harrier; little ringed plover; avocet

Summer: Plants - Purple loosestrife; Southern marsh orchid; Birds – Little egret, bittern hobby;

Bittern © Andy Dalton

Invertebrates - Banded demoiselle; emperor dragonfly Autumn: Birds - Redwing; teal; gadwell; willow tit Mammals - Roe Deer Fungi-Fly agaric Winter: Birds – Bittern Potteric Carr is not only an important haven for wildlife, it also acts as a safety valve at times of flooding; being able to store flood water and then slowly releasing it over time as the water levels recede locally. Many of the plant life within the reserve, particularly the large expanses of wetland, act as a very effective carbon store, which is also an important natural climate solution in this time of climate emergency. People have always been at the centre of our work at Potteric Carr. We have a core group of over 40 volunteers who work on a variety of activities virtually seven days a week. Our volunteers are involved in welcoming visitors, helping out in the café, carrying out monitoring of the wildlife and maintaining the path network and habitats we have. Volunteers also play an active role in our people engagement at the reserve. We run an extensive events and education programme working with diverse groups from all around South Yorkshire. Schools are regular visitors to Potteric Carr and learn about habitats, classification, respect for wildlife and much more. Our events programme engages young children through Forest Tots, home education sessions, and many interesting themed events during school holidays, like willow weaving and treasure trails. But what will the next 50 years bring? The area has changed almost beyond recognition – our reserve is now bordered by development and we are seeing new species arrive but others vanish as the climate shifts. We have an even more important role to play in informing and empowering people to care for their environment. One thing is certain though; Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is dedicated to ensuring that Potteric Carr continues to be an important oasis for wildlife and a thriving community for people to enjoy.

Egret © Andy Dalton

© Mathew Roberts

Marsh Harrier© Carol Hall