King’s Meadow
Type : Grassland
Situated on the northern edge of the Riverside Industrial Park in the Lenton area of Nottingham, King’s Meadow is a unique urban nature reserve. The site covers just over 1 hectare.
The reserve was created in 1992 in order to preserve the diverse flora and fauna communities which had developed on the former Wilford Power Station following its de-commission in the 1960s.
Although the reserve is only small, the ‘man-made’ nature of the site has resulted in an unusually high diversity of habitats within a compact area.
The reserve supports a number of wildlife habitats including hawthorn and bramble scrub, dry grassland, and ruderal areas. These habitats in turn support a wide variety of plants and other wildlife particularly invertebrates.
A number of species found at the site are considered rare in the County. Of particular interest is the Southern Marsh Orchid, which, together with the Common Spotted Orchid and their hybrids, make the site of high scientific value. Rat’s Tail Fescue is characteristic of abandoned railway cinder beds, and its rarity in the County will increase as disused railway lines are developed. King’s Meadow has provided records of a number of invertebrate species found nowhere else in the county.
Conservation Management
By conserving and enhancing the flora and fauna, with particular emphasis on the orchid community the bush grass and invertebrate fauna, the site’s scientific value could be increased still further.
The reserve also has the potential to become an educational resource for local people, and thus influencing the way they treat the reserve. To the uneducated eye, the site can be seen as a ‘waste ground’, and its value therefore needs to be promoted.
How to Get There
The reserve is situated on the Lenton Industrial Estate (ref. SK558 384). The site can be accessed from either Longwall Avenue on the estate or via Birdcage Walk along side the River Leen (off Lenton Lane). The reserve entrance is clearly marked by a notice next to the main gate.
Further Information
If you would like further details about the reserve, or if you are interested in getting involved in the management of the site, please call the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Office on 0115 958 8242.
