The Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s) in Cambridge are for both people and wildlife. The designation of these reserves helps to protect some of the best wildlife habitats and geographical features across the City, whilst making an important contribution to the UK’s biodiversity. The reserves provide an opportunity for people to study, learn about and enjoy nature on their doorstep.
Over the last 100 years, urban development, agricultural intensification and the abandonment of management operations have put many habitats and species under threat. Today, Cambridge City Council’s Local Nature Reserves make an important contribute to the protection and enhancement of the UK’s biodiversity.
Pond clearance was the task for willing volunteers from the Science Park company Citrix. The pond seemed extra muddy on the day as we pulled reeds up and removed rubbish but tje volunteers rose to the challenge. Clearing at least a third of the vegetation is an essential part of pond management and this was triumphantly achieved!
Volunteers from a local company helped to create a new woodland walk in the tree line at Stourbridge Common. This area is a unique habitat as it contains an extensive ephemeral pond which attracts many associated species and makes this a very interesting site especially in the spring and early summer for investigation and observation.
To help support the steady growth in numbers of otters on our rivers, otter holts were installed on two of our riverside reserves with the help of our Saturday volunteer group. The holts were sited in secluded, quiet bankside locations and will hopefully provide daytime refuge for these amazing animals as they navigate our waterways.