RUTLAND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

3rd November 2009

Natural History of Whittlesey Brick Pits

The Society was treated to a presentation by Phil Parker, an ecologist retained by Hanson Building Products, covering the formation of the land which is now Whittlesey Brick Pits, and includes Kings Dyke Nature Reserve, up to the present time and its current use by Hanson Building Products.

Phil showed us slides depicting how the area may have looked back in the Jurassic period then talked us through the ages up to the industrial revolution and how the look of the area has changed dramatically over recent decades

The reserve, which is a hidden treasure, was developed very much with education in mind and regularly hosts visits from local schools who participate in various activities such as pond dipping and fossil hunting.

This area of clay extraction (dating back to the 1920's) was restored in 1995 and is now a wonderful example of how industrial land can be transformed to benefit wildlife.

During 2008 a survey of the area revealed:

Land use type:  

Restoration (including nature reserve)         -    119ha

Brownfield                                                     -    57ha

Quarry                                                           -    70ha

Industrial                                                        -    41ha

Unworked (including part of Nene Washes)  -    291ha

Spread across the site were:

Higher plants                -    382 species

Birds                            -    136 species

Butterflies                     -    23 species

Dragonflies                   -    18 species

Amphibians                   -    4 species  

Reflecting the diversity of this relatively small reserve.

Access to the reserve is by permit only.

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