The Brue Valley Living Landscape Project
The project started in January 2009 and aims to restore, revitalise and reconnect habitat ensuring wildlife is enhanced and capable of sustaining itself in the face of climate change.
SWT already manages 12 sites in the Brue Valley as nature reserves and our first step is to ensure these are managed to their greatest potential for biodiversity and that infrastructure for visitors is improved.
However, SWT is keen to put nature reserves in the context of the wider Brue Valley and, working with landowners and communities, make the connections around nature reserves to ensure a sustainable countryside.
In the long term we want to create a mosaic of wetlands in the Brue Valley Living Landscape area that will ensure the survival of wetland species and help wildlife and people adapt to the effects of climate change.
To ensure this vision becomes reality it must be owned by the local community and we are here to help them make the connections between wildlife and their everyday lives.
Where do we start?
This project focuses on two of SWT’s key nature reserves in the Brue Valley, Westhay Moor and the Catcott Complex. These two nationally important sites welcome more than 36,000 visitors each year and have featured on a variety of wildlife programmes.
Some of the sights that attract visitors are the millions of starlings during the winter months at Westhay and the wintering flocks of lapwing and golden plover at Catcott.
Both sites have amazing potential for visitors locally, nationally and internationally and there are great opportunities to inspire local people about this wildlife jewel on their doorstep.
Westhay is the largest piece of remnant lowland mire (peat bog) in the South West and both Westhay and Catcott create a dymanic mosaic of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitats, including floodplain grazing marsh, lowland meadow, purple moor grass and rush pasture, reedbed and wet woodland. Rare species include round leaved sundew, dragonflies, butterflies and the protected great crested newt. Both sites are vital for wintering woodcock, shoveler, teal and widgeon.
Despite the significance of both sites, current facilities cannot support the large numbers of visitors that visit each year.
Thanks to a grant from Viridor Credits SWT can now embark on some major improvements, which will enhance the experience for all visitors. This includes building new boardwalks, creating inspiring visual interpretation, putting up new signs and brown tourist signs on the road.
After consultation with SAIN (Somerset Access and Inclusion Network) we have a plan to improve the experience at both reserves for visitors with disabilities and work planned includes dedicated parking, improved viewing in the hides and better ramps for access.
A wind pump will be installed at Westhay which is a sustainable method of bringing water onto the raised mire and conservation works to maintain the high water levels that are essential for these wetland habitats to function.
Much of the work will involve volunteers who will work on conservation tasks, access works and stock monitoring to ensure good grazing on the reserves. Local schools will be involved with the design of interpretation and the local community across the levels and moors will benefit from major improvements to these reserves.
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