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Sandy
Smith Nature Reserve
The Greensands Trust are putting on a number of wildlife
events this summer (July to September 2012)
please see these posters : -
Whats On
Poster 1
Poster 2
Poster 3
Poster 4
May 2012 Wild
Life & History of Plum Orchard
March 2010 Info sheet
We are very fortunate to have in the parish 230 acres of land
as a dedicated nature reserve, owned by The Greensands Trust. The
area was donated to the trust by a local business man and is totally
peaceful with wild flowers flourishing, such as Bee Orchids which are
becoming rare, and unusual birds skimming the hedge tops.
The Sandy Smith Nature Reserve (dedicated to the donor's wife) is
available for walkers and nature lovers, but there are no facilities.
No car parking, no toilets, no cafes! Just natural countryside,
being controlled to provide wet madow land, a reed bed area (which is
a very rare habitat for the Bedforshire area, a new pit has been dug to
provide a new sandy habitat to attract invertebrates.
Currently the site can be accessed via a private road (bridleway)
near Speedsdiary Farm.
If you are interested in learning more about the
Sandy Smith Nature Reserve, please contact Liz Millbank for further information.
Her telephone number is 01234 743666. The Greensands Trust does
welcome volunteers to assist with work. They also welcome pedestrian
users of the public footpaths and permissive footpaths, so long as any
dogs are kept on leads, and walkers arrive at the site on foot or by bicycle
as there are no car parking facilities.
Click here for map containing
public footpaths and rights of way
The land lies in the Flit Valley in mid Bedfordshire, since 2006
it is been owned by The Greensand Trust and is being developed and managed
as a nature reserve. This 93-hectare site consists of a mixture of habitats.
The base of the valley, consist of 23 hectares of wet woodland, reed bed,
river, marsh and grazing meadow on peaty soil and is known as Upper Alders,
a County Wildlife Site. The remaining 70 hectares on the side of the valley
consists of an extensive area of ex-arable farmland on sand and clay soils
and a small area of woodland.
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To enable
access footpaths have been converted into wide green lanes with hedgerows
planted either side of them. About 2,500m or 14,700 plants of mixed native
hedging have been planted.
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Stands of spruces (0.6ha)
have been felled and the timber removed to restore native wet woodland
and open marshland
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The ponds,
marsh and reed beds are being restored by grazing and cutting, and water
levels are being managed to encourage the spread of wetland species both
in the wet woodland and open wetland areas.
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New woodland is being
created to link the existing woodland to the north of the site with the wet
woodland in the base of the valley. At the moment we are allowing this area
to naturally regenerate and depending on how this works out we may undertake
some planting in the future. |
The ex-arable
areas have been fenced (5000m) to enable grazing to help re-create acid
and neutral grassland. Part of the land will not be grazed in the first
few years to allow the development of scattered scrub to encourage bird
and invertebrate species.’
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As part of the Heathland’s
of the Greensand Ridge project, trial heathland plots have also been
established to assess the potential for heathland restoration here and
at other sites along the Ridge.
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About
£73,000 has been received from WREN, the former Mid Beds District
Council and Breathing Places. Further funding has been received from EWGS
(English Woodland Grant Scheme) and Natural England via their Environmental
Stewardship Agreement.
The work is being undertaken
via a combination of Greensand Trust staff and volunteers and contractors.
If you require any further information please contact the Greensand Trust
www.greensandtrust.org
01234 743666
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Bluebells
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Broom
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Common Field Speedwell
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Snowdrops
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Common Toad
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Cowslips
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Otter Holt
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Views of the Sandy Smith
Nature Reserve
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Volunteers Rest
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Reed Bed
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Lizard
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An unidentified nest
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Bird Ringing - Juvenile
Kingfisher
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Marbled White
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Five spot Burnet
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Common Blue
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Bee Orchid
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Cinnaber
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Common Spotted Orchid
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Large Skipper
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Marbled White - underside
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Pyrimidal Orchid
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River Flit
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Cow Parsley
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With thanks to
Malcolm Willis (Volunteer Warden) these stunning photographs.
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Red Clover
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Reed Bed
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Owl's Oak
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Jock tests the bridge
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A (rather muddy) Jock after a hard days graft.
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The Greensand Trust is an independent environmental charity that works with local communities and landowners to conserve and enhance the distinctive landscape, wildlife and history of Mid & South Bedfordshire, improving access, understanding and enjoyment for the benefit of everyone. For more information please visit our website www.greensandtrust.org
Charity number: 1077055
Company limited by guarantee.Registered in England: 3702419
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