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Local Nature Reserves
In Stafford Borough
Google Map of
Local Nature Reserves in Stafford Borough
Flickr Group of photos from Local Nature Reserves in Stafford
Borough
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Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) are for both people and wildlife. They are places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally. They offer people special opportunities to study or learn about nature or simply to enjoy it.
There are now over 1280 LNRs in England. They range from windswept coastal headlands, ancient woodlands and flower-rich meadows to former inner city railways, long abandoned landfill sites and industrial areas now re-colonised by wildlife. In total they cover almost 40,000 ha - an impressive natural resource which makes an important contribution to England's biodiversity.
At present there are five LNRs in Stafford Borough and details of each can be found below. More are planned soon. If you know of an area that may be suitable or would like to start your own Local Nature Reserve contact the Biodiversity Officer. Link: Contact Us
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Getting Invovled
We encourage people to visit their Local Nature Reserves and also promote local involvment. Most of the LNRs have a 'Friends of...' group that helps look after the reserve that you can join. We run regular events at reserves and also participate in National Local Nature Reserve Fortnight. More...
Astonfields Balancing Lakes LNR
Grid Reference: SJ 926 248
Astonfields Balancing Lakes are a series of lakes situated on the north-eastern edge of Stafford. The primary purpose of these water bodies is flood defence, but over the years a series of important habitats have developed on the site. The northern lake is mostly open water with a small amount of emergent vegetation. In contrast, the central lake is dominated by an extensive reedbed.
There are records of numerous birds using the lakes including heron, lapwing, redshank and species of warbler. The steep, dry banks of the lakes support grasslands containing a variety of species such as False Oat-grass, Black Knapweed, Creeping Cinquefoil and Meadow Vetchling. The southern 'lake' has no open water throughout most of the year, but does contain a small area of inland saltmarsh. This is of particular botanical interest because
this type of habitat has been found at only one other location in Staffordshire. The site also contains patches of Buttonweed, a species that is not found anywhere else in the county. The proposed LNR covers an area of approximately 4ha, and is already identified as a grade 1 Site of Biological Importance.
During 2003 the Community Biodiversity Officer helped local residents to form the 'Friends of Astonfields Balancing Lakes'. This group have participated in site management tasks such as litter-picking and the construction of amphibian hibernation shelters. A five-year management plan is currently being written for the site and the LNR declaration should take place during late spring 2004. More...
If you would like to join the Friends of Astonfields Balancing Lakes please contact the Biodiversity Officer
Link: Contact Us
Barlaston and Rough Close Common LNR
Grid References: SJ 923396 and SJ 926399
Barlaston and Rough Close Common LNR is a 20.61ha site on the northern edge of Stafford Borough. It is a Registered Common, which is owned and managed by Stafford Borough Council. The site comprises two areas of lowland heathland, which are divided by a minor road that runs approximately north-south through the site. The vegetation is relatively diverse, with distinct variations between the separate parts of the site.
Dry heath and dry acid grassland with locally abundant heather, bilberry and bell heather dominate the eastern section of the site. The western part comprises mainly acidic marshy grassland, containing purple moor-grass, wavy hair grass, soft rush and heath rush, with patches of wet heath where cross-leaved heath is present. Areas of woodland and scrub fringe the site. On the northern edge of the common is a pool with open water and emergent
vegetation.
A management plan was first prepared for Barlaston and Rough Close Common in 1992 and the site has been managed in accordance with this document ever since. The site was declared as a Local Nature Reserve in 2000. A new 10-year management plan for the Common was completed in 2002. More...
Grid Reference: SJ 852422
Ferndown LNR is located in Clayton, Newcastle, on the northern edge of Stafford Borough near junction 15 of the M6. The area of land is approximately 5.5 hectares and is broken up into six compartments comprising of old agricultural fields whose hedgerow boundaries still divide the site today.
The main habitats on site are meadow and scrub woodland. A five-year management plan exists for the site which aims to restore the condition of the meadows, providing a greater variety of wildflowers that will in turn support many invertebrates such as butterflies and moths. More...
Grid Reference: SJ 925 234
Kingsmead Marsh LNR is a large wetland area close to the centre of Stafford town. The majority of the site is marshland, which contains common reedmace, pond sedges and marsh horsetail in the wettest areas. There are a number of ditches running through the site, and scrub and scattered trees are common, particularly around the site's perimeter.
The marsh supports a variety of flora and fauna, including locally rare plants such as purple loosestrife, brown sedge and southern marsh orchid. In 1997 Staffordshire Wildlife Trust carried out a detailed ecological survey on the site. On the basis of the information that was gathered Kingsmead Marsh was designated as a grade 1 Site of Biological Importance.
The site provides an excellent wildlife haven at the centre of a large town and at a size of approximately 6ha it is more extensive than many of the remaining marshes in Staffordshire. A five-year management plan for the site was prepared during 2003. During the last year the local community have helped implement this management plan by participating in a number of practical activities. These conservation tasks have including willow
coppicing on the centre of the marsh and the planting of native wildflowers alongside a footpath on the edge of the LNR. The site was declared as a Local Nature Reserve in December 2003. More... | Gallery |
Kingston Pool Covert (South) is 4.15ha of relatively undisturbed damp woodland on the eastern fringe of Stafford. The woodland has a fairly open canopy and is dominated by crack willow and alder, with scattered hazel and elder. There is a great deal of standing and fallen deadwood, which adds to the site's biodiversity potential. A number of ferns and fungi can be identified at the site, together with species such as lords-and-ladies and bluebell. There is some evidence of water vole burrows in the banks of the Kingston Brook, which runs through the centre of the woodland.
More... | Launch Gallery | Big Litter Pick Gallery | Fungus Foray Gallery |
Stone Meadows LNR and Crown Meadow LNR
Stone Meadows LNR comprises a series of three fields, which lie alongside the River Trent as it flows through Stone, and cover a total area of 16.72ha. Crown Meadow is owned by Stone Town Council and the Northern Meadow and Southern Meadow are both owned by Stafford Borough Council.
Over the years all three meadows have been improved agriculturally, but since 2001 they have been managed through Countryside Stewardship agreements to enhance their botanical value. The dominant broadleaved herb in the grassland sward is creeping buttercup, but common sorrel, hogweed, geranium species and vetches can be found in areas on Crown Meadow. A stretch of damp marshy grassland containing rush species and occasional cuckooflowers runs along the western perimeter of the Southern Meadow. This culminates in a small area of willow-dominated wet woodland surrounding a pond, which has a high wildlife value. Landforms, which relate to its historical usage as a flood meadow, can be identified on northern meadow. More... | Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3 |
For more information on any of these sites
please contact the Biodiversity Officer
Link: Contact Us