Nature Reserve
Introduction
This
one hectare wet meadow site is managed under licence from Nottinghamshire County Council. The reserve was established in 1986 although there had been an informal agreement with the council before this.
About the reserve
The reserve is a fragment of the wet meadows that were once common in the Trent valley. It owes its importance as a herb-rich meadow to the high water table and poor drainage and to fertilisers and herbicides not being used on the site.
In the Biological Survey of the County in 1977, the meadow was included in the top ten exceptional areas out of 1500 grassland sites surveyed.
Wide ranges of plants are present including marsh arrow grass, adder's tongue; ragged robin, marsh marigold, lesser
stitchwort, pignut, yellow rattle, bird’s foot trefoil and common spotted orchid. May to July is the best time to visit the reserve
Conservation Management
The reserve is being managed as a hay meadow and is cut after the flowers have set seed in late July/early August. Encroaching shrub has to be periodically cleared and the boundary willow trees cut back.
How to get there
The reserve (SK520357) is to the left of the entrance road to Chilwell Comprehensive School/Chilwell Olympia. Access is from Queens Road West, Chilwell (the A6005 to Long Eaton). The site is open to the public at all times but please keep to the footpath. Cars should be parked in the sports centre car park.
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 953 8242
