Artex UK Volunteer Day at Wilford Claypit Nature Reserve
Tuesday 15th August
Holly McCain, Senior Development Officer at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said “We were delighted to welcome the enthusiastic team from Artex UK to Wilford Claypits Nature Reserve, who helped out with maintaining the reserve to a high standard by cutting back the hay on the wildflower meadows and clearing overgrown scrub vegetation."
The 4.3 hectare site was once an industrial quarry where clay was excavated for making bricks by the Wilford Brick Company (1895 – 1967). Whilst part of the area has been built on to form the Wilford Industrial Estate, the remainder has been sensitively re-established as a nature reserve which is now owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council and managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Notably, the marshland area has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the diverse flora and fauna that can be found there.
The 6-strong team from Artex UK was put hard to work by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s Southern Reserve Officer, Chris Kennedy, carrying out essential reserve maintenance activities such as hay cutting, raking and general clearance of over-grown vegetation now that the flowers have gone to seed. This promotes regrowth the following year as it lets light in, stops the site being taken over by tree-saplings, bramble, scrub and other coarse vegetation, and enables small wild flowers to grow. In more rural/remote areas cattle, sheep and deer would usually have grazed the land and kept vegetation short, but at city-centre sites such as Wilford Claypit we are reliant on the help of local volunteers to do the work. This allows the reserve’s diverse habitats to continue to attract and support a wide variety of wildlife, such as the delicate Holly Blue butterfly, a range of amphibians, and beautiful wildflowers such as the stunning Southern Marsh Orchid and the diminutive Bee Orchid (pictured).
As the county’s leading volunteer-led environmental charity, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust serves as the first line of defence for wild species and habitats in the area. We campaign tirelessly for wildlife, influencing government policy and local planning decisions that affect the future of wildlife and the quality of our environment, and educate children and adults of all ages about wildlife and environmental issues.
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is reliant in the financial support of local companies such as Artex UK and the Saint-Gobain Group to help us safeguard Nottinghamshire’s wildlife and ensure that the next generation learns the importance of the natural world. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust hopes to continue this successful partnership long into the future.
If your company would like to find out more about partnering with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call Holly on 0115 958 8242.
