Work started on the new pond this week at Bramblefields nature reserve in Chesterton. This work has been funded through the Chesterton sidings Train station development. The pond has been situated next to the original pond at the reserve which is already home to a healthy newt and dragonfly population. The new larger pond has been designed with these species in mind and it is hoped that they will quickly populate this pond too. These changes are part of a wider vision for the reserve which takes its…

It was great to have access at the weekend to the East Cambridge Lakes, sometimes known locally as The Tins or Romsey lakes. The public are not normally allowed in to the lakes as it is strictly reserved for Anglers only. However a work party of volunteers were allowed in to carry out some targeted conservation work for the day. The aim was to begin clearing sections of scrub with the view to open up areas attractive to solitary bees and wasps. The conditions around the Lakes are…

Floating Pennywort is an invasive aquatic plant which has become a highly problematic on our waterways. Originally from South America Floating Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) seems very at home in UK waters, it’s rapid growth rate can quickly clog up rivers and destroy habitats. In recent years the river Cam has been badly hit, within 5 years the weed has spread at an alarming speed, from Grantchester all the way out to the Denver Sluice on the Great Ouse river. For these reasons many people have been motivated to…