Cambridge City
Local Nature Reserves
Welcome
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.
Last Saturday, on what felt like the first day of warm weather in forever, a community event happened that really lifted the spirits. At Paradise nature reserve a group of residents gathered to divide the clumps of Snowdrops that grow at the Owlstone road end of the reserve. The aim was to create more areas where the Snowdrops could prosper and delight us all come next spring time. Although not a native species the Snowdrops have been a feature at this end of the reserve for many years…
If you need some motivation to get outside this Easter holiday you could go Wood anemone spotting at Byron’s Pool reserve. This beautiful plant is one of the few flowering plants found on the woodland floor at this time of year. The flowers look delicate but they are in fact very sturdy and well able to withstand the strong winds of April, they are even sometimes referred to as Wind flowers. If the weather is sunny the flowers will be open but if it is cloudy or near…
Twenty-eight tonnes of gravel have been put in to the section of Cherry Hinton Brook next to Sainsbury’s, Coldhams lane, with much ingenuity and problem solving! This obviously took a lot of hard-working volunteers to achieve but the benefits to the habitat outweigh some temporary achy backs! The Wild Trout Trust, Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook and the City Council all worked together to raise the bed of the stream. By reducing the depth in key locations the cross-sectional area of the local water is reduced but the…