To view a map showing many of our sites click here: drive.google.com/open?id=1BvevdnyHjWa0JtAzB8yZe-fOrCrKEHZn&usp=sharing. Locations are given as grid references and What3words addresses.
LNR = Local Nature Reserve
NNR = National Nature Reserve
SSSI = Site of Special Scientific Interest
See the Natural England website www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england for more information about LNRs, NNRs and SSSIs.
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Monks Wood/Ashing Lane
Ashing Lane nature reserve is formed by two existing Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserves of Pickerings Meadow and Watts Wood, together with a new area of former arable land. On this new site the Nettleham Woodland Trust (who manage the site for LWT) is creating a broadleaved wood, with flower meadows, to be called Monks Wood. Some 20,000 trees will be planted, making it the largest tree planting scheme by a local group in Lincolnshire.
We have planted some of the trees and will return occasionally to help with ongoing maintenance of the site.
Boultham Mere
An oasis of calm, just minutes away from the centre of Lincoln, where we have cleared scrub, helped to maintain access steps, kept pathways clear.
Chambers Farm Wood, nr Wragby
A part of the Bardney Limewoods SSSI/NNR, managed by Forest Enterprise. A lovely place to visit and walk. Each winter we coppice blackthorn hedges to improve food and breeding sites for the Brown Hairstreak butterfly. This is a traditional post-Christmas workday for us. We have also worked in the butterfly garden, including clearing planting beds and restocking with butterfly friendly plants, hedge laying and building a leafmould bin.
Cross O'Cliff Hill Orchard, Lincoln
This traditional Lincolnshire pear orchard is an LNR managed by Lincolnshire County Council. We've helped with hedge laying to improve boundaries, with scrub clearance and with the planting of traditional fruit trees to preserve this interesting orchard.
Fiskerton Fen
This nature reserve was created on a site previously used to extract clay to reinforce river banks. It is owned by the Environment Agency and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. We have planted trees and bushes, restored part of a woven willow screen near the bird hide and cut back areas of scrub to cut back to maintain the variety of plants and habitats.
Frampton Marsh
Our first visit to this site marked the first time we had done reed planting, or worked for the RSPB. The work involved planting up blocks of reeds 22 metres by 2 metres in a low-lying wet area created from farmland, and then fencing the newly planted blocks to prevent geese and coots from grazing off the new growth before the reeds become established. Once they do they will spread naturally and look after themselves. They will provide a habitat for bitterns, bearded tits and reed warblers. n between the low-lying wet bits where the reeds have been planted, there are 'islands' of higher ground covered in flowers for bees, butterflies and other insects.
Hartsholme Country Park & Swanholme Lakes LNR/SSSI
Managed by the City of Lincoln Council, this is the best park in Lincoln! We've helped rebuild Black Bridge, created hidden glades in the woods, restored areas of heathland and protected the banks Hartsholme Lake with natural, living willow fencing. Swanholme Lakes is an important environment for aquatic plant life.
Kirkstead Mill
A private reserve, we've cleared scrub, created new pathways and planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs, but it's probably the delicious refreshments and warm welcome provided by the owner of this site that ensures the success of these tasks.
Lincolnshire Limestone Grassland Project - Life on the Verge
Life on the Verge is the largest wild flower survey of Britain's roadside verges and it aims to identify the most important roadside verges for limestone grassland wildlife in South-West Lincolnshire, North-East Rutland and East Leicestershire. With the right management, grassland growing on limestone soils can be one of the most diverse habitats in the country and a riot of wild flower colour in spring and summer. Forty species of plant can be found in a square metre of turf. Sadly, there has been a sharp decline in the extent of lowland limestone grassland across the country. We are helping to scatter green hay on verges within the project areas, to increase the wild flower populations.
Liquorice Park Millennium Green, Lincoln
The wildest allotments in Lincoln where fantastic views over the city are guaranteed, featuring fruit bushes, orchard and arena all just a few steps from the historic city centre. Tree planting, hedge laying, cutting back scrub near paths.
North Hykeham Millennium Green
A precious little reserve among increasing numbers of houses in North Hykeham, near Lincoln. A walk round the lake is just a mile. Over several visits we have removed tree guards from the trees planted in 2000-2001 and are now helping to manage the growing areas of woodland.
Rauceby Warren, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
We have worked to rebuild the dry stone wall which protects this SSSI reserve, near Sleaford, from the busy road (and the many cars which attempt to drive off the road!). We have cleared scrub to maintain the open grassland. We have also pulled ragwort at this site and nearby SSSI reserves of Moor Closes and Ancaster Valley.
Saltfleetby Theddlethorpe NNR/SSSI
We have visited this reserve, managed by Natural England, several times. It is an important dune habitat and a great place to enjoy the wonderful Lincolnshire coast and its wide-open skies. We have dug a pond, cut back scrub, cut down encroaching willing, and helped to clear footpaths. We also help out with Beach Watch to clear debris from the beaches.
Scotgrove Wood, near Bardney
This wood of small-leaved lime, a Lincolnshire speciality, is also part of the Bardney Limewoods NNR. We visit regularly to coppice trees to open out the main ride and to provide habitat variety.
Snakeholme Pit, near Bardney
A Butterfly Conservation managed nature reserve with a meadow, pond and areas of scrub. We've built steps here but our annual summer task is to rake up the cut hay once the wildflower seeds have dispersed so that the flower-rich meadow improves every year.
Southrey Wood, near Bardney
Managed by Butterfly Conservation, and also part of the Bardney Limewoods NNR, we coppice hazel to generate new young growth to improve habitats for the local butterfly population.
Thurlby Wood
A privately owned wood near Gainsborough where we have helped to coppice large areas of hazel to open up the woodland floor and improve habitats for all the wildlife. Our work at this site also raises much-needed funds for the Group.
Whisby Nature Park, near Lincoln
A large reserve owned and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. This LNR has a rich mosaic of wetland wildlife habitats, restored from old gravel workings. Our work here has included reclaiming grassland from encroaching willow scrub, tree planting, maintaining the footpaths on the site, reprofiling islands in the lake to improve them for nesting waterbirds, and working on the sandmartin nesting site.
Over the years we have also worked at.
Boultham Moor Wood
Removing some young sycamore trees to favour native species.
Branston Jungle
Clearing footpaths to maintain access for visitors to this lovely little reserve.
Epworth, Notts
Constructing an otter holt to help local otters
Gibraltar Point NNR/SSSI
A Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Reserve with an extensive range of sand dunes and salt marshes, and renowned for its bird life.
Hobblers Hole, Lincoln
An area of grassland with a pond surrounded by hawthorn scrub.
Moor Closes
An important grassland site where we have helped with orchid counts to monitor the population of early marsh orchids, and also with ragwort pulling.
Roman Herb Garden, Westgate, Lincoln
We worked with the Lincoln Herb Society to maintain this Herb Garden on Westgate.
Skellingthorpe Wood
Coppicing in this ancient woodland and clearing the bridlepaths to maintain access.
Skellingthorpe Cycle Track
Part of the National Cycle Network. Coppicing willows alongside ditches and ponds.
St. Giles Wildlife Garden, Lincoln
An area of hedgerows, streams, grassland and marsh all in a small garden adjoining the church on the St Giles Estate.
Tortoiseshell Wood
Hay raking to scatter the wildflower seeds
Washingborough Cycle Path
Part of the National Cycle Network, cutting back overhanging vegetation and painting gates and signs.
West Common Pond
Clearing reeds from this a Victorian ornamental pond and planting native shrubs.
AND AWAY
Every now and again we have an away weekend to enjoy nature conservation further afield. Accommodation varies, depending on what the host organisation has to offer - village halls, youth hostels, bunk barns, etc. Over the years, places we have visited include:
Clumber Park: a National Trust site
Elsham Hall Country Park, N Lincolnshire
Far Ings National Nature Reserve: on the southern banks of the Humber near Barton on Humber and managed by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
Madhyamaka Centre: a Buddhist centre nr. Pocklington, Yorkshire.
Norfolk
North York Moors National Park: various sites, including the Dalby Forest, improving the habitat for the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
Nottingham Canal: based at the TCV centre in Burton Joyce
Peak District, Derbyshire: usually based at the Peak Park Centre at Grindleford and working at different sites around the Park - dry stone walling, clearing scrub, keeping footpaths clear.
Spurn Point National Nature Reserve: creating fences to encourage dune development, managing the sea buckthorn (an important food source and protection for migrating birds)
NNR = National Nature Reserve
SSSI = Site of Special Scientific Interest
See the Natural England website www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england for more information about LNRs, NNRs and SSSIs.
HOME...
Monks Wood/Ashing Lane
Ashing Lane nature reserve is formed by two existing Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserves of Pickerings Meadow and Watts Wood, together with a new area of former arable land. On this new site the Nettleham Woodland Trust (who manage the site for LWT) is creating a broadleaved wood, with flower meadows, to be called Monks Wood. Some 20,000 trees will be planted, making it the largest tree planting scheme by a local group in Lincolnshire.
We have planted some of the trees and will return occasionally to help with ongoing maintenance of the site.
Boultham Mere
An oasis of calm, just minutes away from the centre of Lincoln, where we have cleared scrub, helped to maintain access steps, kept pathways clear.
Chambers Farm Wood, nr Wragby
A part of the Bardney Limewoods SSSI/NNR, managed by Forest Enterprise. A lovely place to visit and walk. Each winter we coppice blackthorn hedges to improve food and breeding sites for the Brown Hairstreak butterfly. This is a traditional post-Christmas workday for us. We have also worked in the butterfly garden, including clearing planting beds and restocking with butterfly friendly plants, hedge laying and building a leafmould bin.
Cross O'Cliff Hill Orchard, Lincoln
This traditional Lincolnshire pear orchard is an LNR managed by Lincolnshire County Council. We've helped with hedge laying to improve boundaries, with scrub clearance and with the planting of traditional fruit trees to preserve this interesting orchard.
Fiskerton Fen
This nature reserve was created on a site previously used to extract clay to reinforce river banks. It is owned by the Environment Agency and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. We have planted trees and bushes, restored part of a woven willow screen near the bird hide and cut back areas of scrub to cut back to maintain the variety of plants and habitats.
Frampton Marsh
Our first visit to this site marked the first time we had done reed planting, or worked for the RSPB. The work involved planting up blocks of reeds 22 metres by 2 metres in a low-lying wet area created from farmland, and then fencing the newly planted blocks to prevent geese and coots from grazing off the new growth before the reeds become established. Once they do they will spread naturally and look after themselves. They will provide a habitat for bitterns, bearded tits and reed warblers. n between the low-lying wet bits where the reeds have been planted, there are 'islands' of higher ground covered in flowers for bees, butterflies and other insects.
Hartsholme Country Park & Swanholme Lakes LNR/SSSI
Managed by the City of Lincoln Council, this is the best park in Lincoln! We've helped rebuild Black Bridge, created hidden glades in the woods, restored areas of heathland and protected the banks Hartsholme Lake with natural, living willow fencing. Swanholme Lakes is an important environment for aquatic plant life.
Kirkstead Mill
A private reserve, we've cleared scrub, created new pathways and planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs, but it's probably the delicious refreshments and warm welcome provided by the owner of this site that ensures the success of these tasks.
Lincolnshire Limestone Grassland Project - Life on the Verge
Life on the Verge is the largest wild flower survey of Britain's roadside verges and it aims to identify the most important roadside verges for limestone grassland wildlife in South-West Lincolnshire, North-East Rutland and East Leicestershire. With the right management, grassland growing on limestone soils can be one of the most diverse habitats in the country and a riot of wild flower colour in spring and summer. Forty species of plant can be found in a square metre of turf. Sadly, there has been a sharp decline in the extent of lowland limestone grassland across the country. We are helping to scatter green hay on verges within the project areas, to increase the wild flower populations.
Liquorice Park Millennium Green, Lincoln
The wildest allotments in Lincoln where fantastic views over the city are guaranteed, featuring fruit bushes, orchard and arena all just a few steps from the historic city centre. Tree planting, hedge laying, cutting back scrub near paths.
North Hykeham Millennium Green
A precious little reserve among increasing numbers of houses in North Hykeham, near Lincoln. A walk round the lake is just a mile. Over several visits we have removed tree guards from the trees planted in 2000-2001 and are now helping to manage the growing areas of woodland.
Rauceby Warren, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
We have worked to rebuild the dry stone wall which protects this SSSI reserve, near Sleaford, from the busy road (and the many cars which attempt to drive off the road!). We have cleared scrub to maintain the open grassland. We have also pulled ragwort at this site and nearby SSSI reserves of Moor Closes and Ancaster Valley.
Saltfleetby Theddlethorpe NNR/SSSI
We have visited this reserve, managed by Natural England, several times. It is an important dune habitat and a great place to enjoy the wonderful Lincolnshire coast and its wide-open skies. We have dug a pond, cut back scrub, cut down encroaching willing, and helped to clear footpaths. We also help out with Beach Watch to clear debris from the beaches.
Scotgrove Wood, near Bardney
This wood of small-leaved lime, a Lincolnshire speciality, is also part of the Bardney Limewoods NNR. We visit regularly to coppice trees to open out the main ride and to provide habitat variety.
Snakeholme Pit, near Bardney
A Butterfly Conservation managed nature reserve with a meadow, pond and areas of scrub. We've built steps here but our annual summer task is to rake up the cut hay once the wildflower seeds have dispersed so that the flower-rich meadow improves every year.
Southrey Wood, near Bardney
Managed by Butterfly Conservation, and also part of the Bardney Limewoods NNR, we coppice hazel to generate new young growth to improve habitats for the local butterfly population.
Thurlby Wood
A privately owned wood near Gainsborough where we have helped to coppice large areas of hazel to open up the woodland floor and improve habitats for all the wildlife. Our work at this site also raises much-needed funds for the Group.
Whisby Nature Park, near Lincoln
A large reserve owned and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. This LNR has a rich mosaic of wetland wildlife habitats, restored from old gravel workings. Our work here has included reclaiming grassland from encroaching willow scrub, tree planting, maintaining the footpaths on the site, reprofiling islands in the lake to improve them for nesting waterbirds, and working on the sandmartin nesting site.
Over the years we have also worked at.
Boultham Moor Wood
Removing some young sycamore trees to favour native species.
Branston Jungle
Clearing footpaths to maintain access for visitors to this lovely little reserve.
Epworth, Notts
Constructing an otter holt to help local otters
Gibraltar Point NNR/SSSI
A Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Reserve with an extensive range of sand dunes and salt marshes, and renowned for its bird life.
Hobblers Hole, Lincoln
An area of grassland with a pond surrounded by hawthorn scrub.
Moor Closes
An important grassland site where we have helped with orchid counts to monitor the population of early marsh orchids, and also with ragwort pulling.
Roman Herb Garden, Westgate, Lincoln
We worked with the Lincoln Herb Society to maintain this Herb Garden on Westgate.
Skellingthorpe Wood
Coppicing in this ancient woodland and clearing the bridlepaths to maintain access.
Skellingthorpe Cycle Track
Part of the National Cycle Network. Coppicing willows alongside ditches and ponds.
St. Giles Wildlife Garden, Lincoln
An area of hedgerows, streams, grassland and marsh all in a small garden adjoining the church on the St Giles Estate.
Tortoiseshell Wood
Hay raking to scatter the wildflower seeds
Washingborough Cycle Path
Part of the National Cycle Network, cutting back overhanging vegetation and painting gates and signs.
West Common Pond
Clearing reeds from this a Victorian ornamental pond and planting native shrubs.
AND AWAY
Every now and again we have an away weekend to enjoy nature conservation further afield. Accommodation varies, depending on what the host organisation has to offer - village halls, youth hostels, bunk barns, etc. Over the years, places we have visited include:
Clumber Park: a National Trust site
Elsham Hall Country Park, N Lincolnshire
Far Ings National Nature Reserve: on the southern banks of the Humber near Barton on Humber and managed by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
Madhyamaka Centre: a Buddhist centre nr. Pocklington, Yorkshire.
Norfolk
North York Moors National Park: various sites, including the Dalby Forest, improving the habitat for the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
Nottingham Canal: based at the TCV centre in Burton Joyce
Peak District, Derbyshire: usually based at the Peak Park Centre at Grindleford and working at different sites around the Park - dry stone walling, clearing scrub, keeping footpaths clear.
Spurn Point National Nature Reserve: creating fences to encourage dune development, managing the sea buckthorn (an important food source and protection for migrating birds)