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Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire facts for kids

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Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Island Lake 1
Island Lake, a beautiful spot at Godmanchester Nature Reserve.

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire (WTBCN) is a charity that looks after nature. They manage 126 special places called nature reserves. These reserves cover a huge area, about 3,945 hectares (that's like 9,750 football fields!).

Over 35,000 people are members of this trust. It's amazing because 95% of people in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire live very close to one of these reserves. The trust works to protect wildlife, encourage people to help nature, and share knowledge about the environment. It's one of many wildlife trusts across the UK, all working together for nature.

How the Trust Started

The idea to protect special natural places began way back in 1912. A man named Charles Rothschild created a group called the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves. Their goal was to save important natural sites.

Later, in 1949, a law called the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act helped protect these places. By 1959, the society started helping local wildlife trusts all over Britain. By 1978, there were local trusts covering the whole country! In 2004, the main society changed its name to The Wildlife Trusts.

Our local trust, the WTBCN, grew over time. It started with the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Naturalists’ Trust in 1956. Then came the Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Wildlife Trust in 1961, and the Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust in 1963. These groups joined together over the years, forming the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire in 1994.

What Makes a Nature Reserve Special?

Many of the trust's nature reserves have special titles because they are so important for wildlife.

  • 52 reserves are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means they are protected by law because of their unique plants, animals, or geology.
  • Six are Ramsar wetland sites. These are wetlands that are important all over the world, especially for birds.
  • Six are Special Protection Areas (SPA). These are places where rare or migrating birds are protected.
  • Two are national nature reserves (NNR). These are the most important places for wildlife in the country.

The biggest reserve is Ouse Washes, which is 186 hectares. It's super important for birds like wildfowl and waders that visit in winter or come to breed. The smallest reserves are Chettisham Meadow and Stoke Wood End Quarter, both just 0.7 hectares, but still very important!

Nature Reserves to Explore

The Wildlife Trust manages many amazing places. Here's a look at some of them and what makes them special.

Key to Designations and Access

Bedfordshire Reserves

Site Photograph Area Public access Designations Description
Blow's Downs
Dunstable, Blow's Down or Downs - geograph.org.uk - 145589
Blow's Downs
 62.3 hectares (154 acres) YES SSSI This site has many different habitats. It has a large area of natural grassland. You can also see a disused quarry and old medieval farming terraces. It's home to a very rare plant and a rare beetle!
Flitwick Moor (& Folly Wood)
Flitwick Moor 14
Flitwick Moor
 66.6 hectares (165 acres) YES SSSI This is the biggest wetland area in Bedfordshire. It's a rich valley mire, which is a type of bog. Eight kinds of sphagnum bog moss grow here, including one that is nationally rare. You'll also find woodlands and wet grasslands.
Pegsdon Hills and Hoo Bit
Pegsdon Hills 8
Pegsdon Hills
 79.0 hectares (195 acres) YES SSSI, CAONB These chalk hills have beautiful wildflower meadows. Look for orchids and moschatels. Many butterflies live here, like dingy and grizzled skippers. Birds like wheatears and skylarks also call this place home.

Cambridgeshire Reserves

Site Photograph Area Public access Designations Description
Brampton Wood
Brampton Wood - Birch Quarter - geograph.org.uk - 444758
Brampton Wood
 132 hectares (330 acres) YES SSSI This is one of the oldest woodlands in the county. It's a wet forest with ash and maple trees on heavy clay soil. The paths through the wood have many different grassland flowers.
Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits
Chalk Pit near Cherry Hinton - geograph.org.uk - 805799
Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits
 11 hectares (27 acres) YES LNR, SSSI These two areas used to be chalk quarries. Now, they are wildflower grasslands with some bushes. You can find flowers like harebell and the rare moon carrot here. One part has steep, old woodland with ash and cherry trees.
Ouse Washes
Evening calm - The Ouse Washes at Sutton Gault - geograph.org.uk - 1615426
Ouse Washes
 186 hectares (460 acres) YES NCR, Ramsar, SAC, SPA, SSSI The Ouse Washes are super important for wildfowl and waders from all over the world. Many birds, like teal and wigeons, come here in winter or to breed. The site also has lots of water plants and animals, plus natural grasslands.

Northamptonshire Reserves

Site Photograph Area Public access Designations Description
Ditchford Lakes and Meadows
Crossing the Meadows at Ditchford Lakes Nature Reserve - June 2009 - panoramio
Ditchford Lakes and Meadows
 31.1 hectares (77 acres) YES Ramsar, SPA, SSSI This site has lakes that used to be gravel pits. Now, they are home to many birds that visit in winter or breed here, like Cetti's warblers and oystercatchers. You might even spot otters in the lakes! There are also grasslands and willow bushes.
Glapthorn Cow Pastures
Glapthorn Cow Pasture 4
Glapthorn Cow Pasture
 28.0 hectares (69 acres) YES SSSI This reserve has ash and maple woodlands, and thick blackthorn bushes. It's one of the most important places in Britain for the black hairstreak butterfly. These butterflies need blackthorn plants to lay their eggs. The bushes also provide nesting spots for nightingales.
Summer Leys
Summer Leys Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 1352762
Summer Leys Nature Reserve
 47.0 hectares (116 acres) YES LNR, Ramsar, SPA SSSI, This wetland has lakes from old gravel pits, with special hides for birdwatching. You'll also find grasslands, hedges, and wet meadows. Birds like golden plovers and common terns breed here. Butterflies like common blues and the less common brown argus also live here.

Images for kids

  • Arlesey Old Moat 5

    Arlesey Old Moat

  • Barton Gravel Pit 1

    Barton Gravel Pit

  • Begwary Brook nature reserve 9

    Begwary Brook

  • Fir Trees on heathland - geograph.org.uk - 629499

    Cooper's Hill

  • Cople Pits 9

    Cople Pits

  • Cut-Throat Meadow 5

    Cut-throat Meadow

  • Dropshort Marsh 2

    Dropshort Marsh

  • Fancott Woods and Meadows 10

    Fancott Woods and Meadows

  • Felmersham Gravel Pits 9

    Felmersham Gravel Pits

  • King's Wood, Heath and Reach 10

    King's Wood and Rammamere Heath

  • Lancot Meadow 8

    Lancot Meadow

  • Landpark Wood 3

    Landpark Wood

  • Old Warden Tunnel - geograph.org.uk - 275715

    Old Warden Tunnel

  • Pavenham Osier Beds 2

    Pavenham Osier Beds

  • The Riddy and River ivel

    The Riddy

  • Sallowsprings 2

    Sallowsprings

  • Sewell Cutting 3

    Sewell Cutting

  • Sharnbrook Summit 3

    Sharnbrook Summit

  • Totternhoe Knolls 6

    Totternhoe

  • Wymington Meadow 5

    Wymington Meadow

  • Hemingford Grey Meadow 4

    Arthur's Meadow

  • Beechwoods - geograph.org.uk - 826879

    Beechwoods

  • Buffwood 4171

    Buff Wood

  • Entrance to Cambourne Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 884607

    Cambourne Nature Reserve

  • Chettisham Meadow 2

    Chettisham Meadow

  • Doghouse Grove 8

    Doghouse Grove

  • Dogsthorpe8631

    Dogsthorpe Star Pit

  • Brackland Rough 4

    Fordham Woods

  • Fulbourn Fen Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 1046532

    Fulbourn Fen

  • Gamlingay Cinques 7

    Gamlingay Cinques

  • Gamlingay Wood 8

    Gamlingay Wood

  • Gamsey Wood 3

    Gamsey Wood

  • Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Roman Lake 4

    Godmanchester Nature Reserve

  • Grafham Water inlet - geograph.org.uk - 532256

    Grafham Water

  • Little Ouse River at Decoy Fen - geograph.org.uk - 617656

    Great Fen

  • Hardwick Wood 7

    Hardwick Wood

  • Hayley Wood 6

    Hayley Wood

  • Houghton Meadows Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 310218

    Houghton Meadows

  • Lady's Wood 8

    Lady's Wood

  • Raised walkway through the Lattersey Reserve, Cambridgeshire - geograph-3078615

    Lattersey

  • Lower Wood, Cambridgeshire 1

    Lower Wood

  • Norwood Road 3

    Norwood Road

  • Overhall Grove 7

    Overhall Grove

  • Pingle Cutting 2

    Pingle Cutting

  • Raveley Wood 3

    Raveley Wood

  • Shepherd's Close 4

    Shepherd's Close

  • Footpath across Shepreth L-Moor - geograph.org.uk - 1309944

    Shepreth L Moor

  • Skaters' Meadow - geograph.org.uk - 1167391

    Skaters' Meadow

  • Soham lode - geograph.org.uk - 1652116

    Soham Meadow

  • Southorpe Meadow 2

    Southorpe Meadow

  • Southorpe Paddock 2

    Southorpe Paddock

  • Stanground Newt Ponds 6

    Stanground Newt Ponds

  • Stanground Wash 5

    Stanground Wash

  • Thorpe Wood 4

    Thorpe Wood

  • Trumpington Meadows east 10

    Trumpington Meadows

  • Bentley Meadow, Upwood Meadows - geograph.org.uk - 839654

    Upwood Meadows

  • Wansford Pasture 2

    Wansford Pasture

  • Waresleywood 3996

    Waresley Wood

  • Wistow Wood 2

    Wistow Wood

  • Woodston Ponds 2

    Woodston Ponds

  • Wood Walton Marsh - geograph.org.uk - 1243441

    Woodwalton Marsh

  • Abington Meadows 2

    Abington Meadows

  • Barford Wood and Meadows 3

    Barford Wood and Meadows

  • Barnes Meadow 9

    Barnes Meadow

  • Boddington Meadow 2

    Boddington Meadow

  • Hills and Holes 9

    Bradlaugh Fields

  • Bugbrooke Meadow nature reserve 2

    Bugbrooke Meadow

  • Collyweston Quarries 4

    Collyweston Quarries

  • Duston Mill Meadow 2

    Duston Mill Meadow

  • Farthinghoe Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 331620

    Farthinghoe

  • Finedon Cally Banks 2

    Finedon Cally Banks

  • Grafton Regis Meadow

    Grafton Regis Meadow

  • Great Oakley Meadow 2

    Great Oakley Meadow

  • Harlestone Heath south 2

    Harlestone Heath

  • High Meadow

    High Wood and Meadow

  • Higham Ferrers Pits 3

    Higham Ferrers Pits

  • Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows - Corner Lake in Winter

    Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows

  • King's Wood, Corby 5

    King's Wood

  • Kingsthorpe meadow - geograph.org.uk - 762717

    Kingsthorpe Meadow

  • Lingswood

    Lings

  • Majestic Oak in the Tove Valley - geograph.org.uk - 281416

    Mill Crook

  • Old Sulehay Forest - geograph.org.uk - 154351

    Old Sulehay

  • Pitsford Water Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 185975

    Pitsford Water

  • The Plens 1

    The Plens

  • Ramsden Corner nature reserve - geograph.org.uk - 490269

    Ramsden Corner

  • Rothwell Gullet

    Rothwell Gullet

  • Southwick Wood 11

    Short Wood and Southwick Wood

  • Southfield Farm Marsh 8

    Southfield Farm Marsh

  • Stoke Bruerne Brick Pits 7

    Stoke Bruerne Brick Pits

  • Stoke Wood End Quarter 3

    Stoke Wood End Quarter

  • Storton's Pits 7

    Storton's Pits

  • Tailby Meadow 1

    Tailby Meadow

  • Titchmarsh Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 1026345

    Titchmarsh

  • Wicksteed Park Nature Reserve - Castle Field 7

    Wicksteed Park

  • Wilson's Pits 4

    Wilson's Pits

  • Woodford Halse Nature Reserve 1

    Woodford Halse

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