'Great news' for wildlife and nature lovers as community group buys nature reserve

A community group run entirely by volunteers has just bought its ninth nature reserve in the Peterborough area.

Langdyke Countryside Trust has bought Christ's College Nature Reserve for £45,000 after a 12-month campaign to raise the money.

The reserve is made up of 22 acres of restored gravel pits, surrounded by newly-planted trees and shrubs – including three ancient oak trees.

Langdyke chair Richard Astle commented: "This is a magnificent addition to the Langdyke portfolio of reserves and great news for wildlife in the area.

"We are particularly grateful for the grants and generous donations which have helped us raise the money to buy the reserve."

The site lies on the boundary of Helpston and Maxey alongside the Maxey Cut. Helpston is half-a-mile to the south, a short walk or bike ride along the road; while Maxey can be reached through footpaths along the Cut and then up Woodgate Lane. Etton is also a short walk away along the banks of the Cut.

A spokesperson for the trust explained: “Prior to gravel extraction in the early 2000s the land was arable and would have been farmed as such for many years. Historically, however, it was part of the much larger Westings Meadow, an area of damp meadows and marshland that was a vital source of grazing for the adjacent villages and would have been rich in biodiversity.

“As a result of the gravel extraction, and subsequent restoration, the land now comprises two large separate water areas - named by the trust as College Pit and John Clare Pit - with attendant water margins, which in some areas are reasonably bare, providing feeding habitat for ducks and wading birds.

“The surrounding land has been planted with native species, including wayfaring tree, ash, willow and guelder rose. Although the planting is extensive there are also open areas of grassland with populations of wildflowers. Three large, ancient oaks sit along the southern boundary. There is a small area of woodland on the northern boundary with the Cut and the shelter belt along the western boundary.”

The trust owns eight other reserves including Swaddywell Pit near Helpston and Etton Maxey Pits. This means it now controls nature on a large swathe of land between the villages of Etton, Maxey and Helpston.