Nature adventure for families as Heysham Nature Reserve opens its doors

More than 100 children and parents took part in adventure trails around Heysham Nature Reserve in bright sunshine.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust chairman Steve Garland cuts the ribbon to open the event.Lancashire Wildlife Trust chairman Steve Garland cuts the ribbon to open the event.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust chairman Steve Garland cuts the ribbon to open the event.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust event was an opportunity to show off the new offices and classroom at the reserve, provided by EDF Energy.

Children made bugs and kites and went off on nature trails around the many pathways in the reserve.

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A spokesman said: “It was a great turnout and there were lots of smiling faces as the sun shone throughout the day, rather unexpectedly.”

Eadie Edwards, four, and Kian Butterworth, one, making bugs.Eadie Edwards, four, and Kian Butterworth, one, making bugs.
Eadie Edwards, four, and Kian Butterworth, one, making bugs.

The reserve has provided a base for the trust’s north Lancashire team for a number of years now with three staff based here.

The trust has delivered community work on site for many years, firstly through its education department and then through a community project officer.

The trust has been working with EDF and its predecessors for many years. The first formal contact goes back to 1978 when Lancashire Trust for Nature Conservation as it was then was consulted over the transplanting of rare plants and safe guarding of various habitats following discussion around the development of Heysham 2 power station.

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Heysham Nature Reserve is an extremely diverse site for its size, and has remained so due to the high level of habitat management work in recent years.

Theo and Dylan Ogden with mum Carolyn Dawson from Bolton enjoy Heysham Nature Reserve open day.Theo and Dylan Ogden with mum Carolyn Dawson from Bolton enjoy Heysham Nature Reserve open day.
Theo and Dylan Ogden with mum Carolyn Dawson from Bolton enjoy Heysham Nature Reserve open day.

Common spotted and bee orchids are still abundant as well as possible northern marsh orchid

hybrids.

The grasslands and marsh support abundant nectaring and larval food plants for butterflies and moths.

The scrub/plantation habitat is valuable for breeding birds and provides temporary shelter and feeding areas for passage birds. It also supports many moths and gives shelter for butterflies and dragonflies.

Dylan Ogden, seven, with his kite.Dylan Ogden, seven, with his kite.
Dylan Ogden, seven, with his kite.
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The site regularly supports 31 species of breeding birds, including linnet, reed bunting, willow warbler, reed warbler and lesser whitethroat, 17 species of butterfly including common blue and small copper; nine species of dragonfly and well over 250 different species of moth.

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