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.
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…
The issue of muddy pathways at Paradise nature reserve has caused many a soggy pair of shoes. This week the matter was tackled by installing a slightly raised new path way. This new pathway spanned one of the worst muddy stretches in the reserve. Hopefully it will also serve to reduce the sideways spreading of the original path which was compromising the chosen growing area of the Butterbur (Petasites). Records of this plant’s presence on the site date back to the sixteen hundreds and it’s continued presence is highly desired! Problems began with the original route…