Nature Reserve Reaps Benefits Of Four-Year Conservation Project...

A transformative four-year project, titled, ‘Giving Nature a Home’, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, is reaping benefits at a Yorkshire nature reserve, RSPB Old Moor, near Barnsley. In need of a boost to help ensure the reserve could sustainably support itself into the future, a successful funding bid submitted in 2019 resulted in a £1.03 million project, of which the Heritage Fund provided nearly £800k, thanks to Lottery players.

Four years on ecological improvements both at RSPB Old Moor and at one of its smaller satellite nature reserves, Wombwell Ings, have been made, along with improvements in visitor infrastructure. Improving reserve pathways making them accessible to all types of mobility equipment now means that everyone can experience much more of Old Moor and its nature.

A new and varied programme of year-round events, such as the hugely popular Wild Lights lantern trail, has also benefitted not just the local community but 60,000 visitors from across the UK.

Visitors to RPSB Old Moor nature reserve can now enjoy much-improved nature spectacles and improved facilities including a wild play area to enable children to get hands on in nature. A family themed hide has also been created as well as a much-improved visitor entrance and car park.

Valuable habitat improvements for wildlife have been made too, such as the restoration of floodplain wet grasslands plus new predator exclusion fences providing safer nesting spaces for species such Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Avocet at Wombwell Ings and also at Field Pools, an area of lowland wet grassland at Old Moor.

Thanks to this work these vulnerable ground-nesting wading birds are safer from foxes and other predators and can raise their young undisturbed in the much-improved wetland habitats which now have wider expanses of muddy edges for feeding and are rich in invertebrate food for their chicks.

Emma Tuckey, Senior Sites Manager for the RSPB Dearne Valley nature reserves, said:
“Lottery support has enabled us to improve some key habitats, whilst also widening our appeal to families so we can inspire the next generation of our young people to love nature and care for it.

“It’s been especially brilliant to see Lapwing with more safe places to nest and raise their chicks, which means we can help secure a brighter future for them in Yorkshire.”

Shockingly Lapwing numbers in the UK have fallen by 55% since 1967 resulting in them becoming a red-listed species. The decline in numbers is due to the post-war intensification of farming practices resulting in loss of suitable breeding habitat, drainage of wetlands and the loss of mixed farming. As numbers have declined, predation of eggs and young chicks has become a more significant factor limiting their recovery.

Lapwings have struggled for safe nesting sites in the Dearne Valley over the years, due to disturbance and predation. Previously at Wombwell Ings, no Lapwing had successfully nested for over five years but since the National Lottery supported work was completed, nine chicks have fledged, and the number of breeding pairs is growing. This is in addition to 46 fledglings across the valley so far this year. It’s a similar brilliant picture on Field Pools at RSPB Old Moor, which has gone from years of unsuccessful nests to seven pairs of Lapwing, fledging seven chicks this year with Redshanks also fledging an impressive 11 chicks from four nesting pairs in 2023.

Lapwings, Shovelers and Redshanks have successfully nested on Field Pools this year and Avocets have been recorded nesting at Wombwell Ings for the first time with three chicks successfully fledged. This takes the total number of Avocet chicks which fledged in the Dearne valley this year to 35, in addition to 29 fledged in 2023. They are thriving due to the valuable network of safe, well managed, wet grassland and wetland sites throughout the valley.

The RSPB manages several wetland reserves in the Dearne Valley, and these sites not only provide homes for nature, but also act as flood protection for the local communities living nearby.

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at the National Lottery Heritage Fund said:
“It is vital that we value, rebuild, and protect our natural heritage so it is sustained for the future, which is why we are delighted to have supported RSPB with this transformative project.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this work has created a thriving, wildlife-rich reserve at Old Moor that has improved habitats and connected local people with the nature that is right on their doorstep. It is especially wonderful to know that Lapwings and other threatened species now have a safer home in the Dearne Valley.”

Funding was also gained from FCC Communities Foundation, BIFFA and S106 from Barnsley Council and the Environment Agency.