Houghton Regis Marl Lakes facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Bedfordshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 20.1 hectares |
| Notification | 1988 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Houghton Regis Marl Lakes is a special natural area in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire. It covers about 20 hectares, which is like 20 football fields! This place is officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI for short. It was recognized as an SSSI in 1988 because of its unique plants and animals.
Contents
What Makes This Place Special?
Houghton Regis Marl Lakes used to be a chalk quarry, where people dug out chalk. Now, it's a disused quarry, meaning it's no longer used for digging. It's a rare spot because it has standing water in a chalk area.
This site is very important for its wildlife. Many different birds visit the lakes. It's also home to a wide variety of dragonflies.
The Marl Lakes
The area has two special lakes called marl lakes. Marl is a type of soil that mixes clay, silt, and calcium carbonate. One lake is deep, and the other is shallow. These lakes are full of interesting water plants and tiny water creatures called molluscs. Between the lakes, there's a wet, marshy area called a fen.
Helping the Environment
From 2011 to 2015, a group called the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire helped look after Houghton Regis Marl Lakes. They put up signs that call the area "Houghton Regis Chalk Pit."
The Wildlife Trust also shared updates about their work in newsletters. You can even find these newsletters online! Many volunteers helped out with different tasks at the site.
Youth Rangers in Action
One cool thing that happened was the "Youth Ranger" activities. Young people got to help with conservation work. They learned how to use special tools to clear away unwanted plants. They also helped with controlled bonfires, which are used to manage the land safely. These activities were part of the Wildlife Trust's bigger program for the North Chilterns Chalk area.
