During March we have received two communications. Fristly, a news update rom Douglas Allenby, of which an edited version was produced in the NWENF Newsletter for April 2014. After the Newsletter was printed, we also received a press release from the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust.
Here is the Wildlife Trust statement, which Douglas hoped we could have used in the printed Newsletter.
Future
secured for
Deer’s
Leap Wood Nature Reserve
A
piece of historic land on the boundary between the Edgbaston,
Harborne and Soho Wards of Birmingham is set for a secure future as a
nature reserve owned by The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the
Black Country.
Deer’s
Leap Wood has a rich history that can be traced back to Medieval
times when both it and the surrounding area formed part of the large
Rotton Park estate. The name it goes under now is taken from the
leaping deer on the Mitchells & Butler beer pump, as the site
used to be on the grounds of the brewery there.
The
Wildlife Trust are now taking ownership of the site from Persimmon
Homes, who are building a new estate on the rest of the land around
the reserve, and will quickly start doing urgent works to make it
safe and accessible.
Conservation
Projects Manager at The Wildlife Trust, Simon Atkinson said: “We’re
delighted to be taking on this wonderfully diverse site and can’t
wait to get started on preserving this asset for the local community.
“In
order to do that, we need to deal with some dangerous trees on site
and ensure that risks to surrounding properties are minimised, but
also that it is safe for people to enter the wood to do conservation
work. Once this is done, we’ll be able to welcome many more people
on site to learn about the wildlife that makes it so special.”
There
is an active Friends of Deer’s Leap Wood group who have been
looking after the site and The Wildlife Trust are looking forward to
working with them to make improvements. The Trust will also be
looking for funding to help transform the site and engage more of the
local community in looking after it.
Additional information
The
Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country
The
Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country is one of 47
local trusts working to make the United Kingdom a better place for
people and wildlife. With over 800,000 members, the Wildlife Trusts
are the largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to conserving the
full range of the UK’s habitats and species, whether they be in the
countryside, in cities or at sea. Collectively they manage over 2,300
nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares. Locally The
Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country works to conserve
biodiversity, improve the environment and raise awareness and
understanding of wildlife issues. For more information please visit
www.bbcwildlife.org.uk
or telephone 0121 454 1199.
Deer’s
Leap Wood
posted by Robert Higginson
