Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough
Encyclopedia
The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough is a wildlife trust
covering the counties of Bedfordshire
, Cambridgeshire
, Northamptonshire
and the City of Peterborough in England
.
The Trust manages 129 nature reserves (covering 2,900 hectares of land) for the benefit of people and wildlife. All of the reserves are free to visit – and 95% of the population of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire live within five miles of one of its reserves. The Trust works to make these wildlife havens bigger, better and more joined-up – vital to help wildlife to adapt to a changing climate. By gathering valuable information about wildlife and working with other landowners the Trust also monitors and safeguards wildlife beyond the boundary of its reserves.
Many wildlife species and habitats have disappeared over the past 50 years. Once common species such as primrose and harebell now scarcely exist outside nature reserves. Hay meadows have become rarities, while water meadows have dried out and ancient woodlands have been planted with non-native conifers. The Trust is working not just to protect what remains, but also to increase the numbers and diversity of native wild plants and animals in our countryside.
Popular reserves include:
Summer Leys, Pitsford Water
and Old Sulehay in Northamptonshire; Grafham Water
, Gamlingay Wood
and Brampton Wood
in Cambridgeshire and Pegsdon Hills
and Flitwick Moor
in Bedfordshire.
Education Centres/Services
The Wildlife Trust has six environmental education centres, and works with local communities across the three counties, offering a range of opportunities to learn more about wildlife. This includes tailored learning for early years to sixth formers, under our ‘Really Wild Days Out’ programme linked to the national curriculum; project work for higher and further education students; teacher training sessions on environmental education for today’s teachers; learning opportunities and practical work for a variety of community groups; and family learning events enabling families with children to learn about wildlife together.
The Wildlife Trusts partnership
The Wildlife Trusts is an organisation made up of 47 local Wildlife Trusts in the United Kingdom plus the Isle of Man and Alderney.The Wildlife Trusts, between them, look after around 2,300 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares...
covering the counties of Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
and the City of Peterborough in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The Trust manages 129 nature reserves (covering 2,900 hectares of land) for the benefit of people and wildlife. All of the reserves are free to visit – and 95% of the population of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire live within five miles of one of its reserves. The Trust works to make these wildlife havens bigger, better and more joined-up – vital to help wildlife to adapt to a changing climate. By gathering valuable information about wildlife and working with other landowners the Trust also monitors and safeguards wildlife beyond the boundary of its reserves.
Many wildlife species and habitats have disappeared over the past 50 years. Once common species such as primrose and harebell now scarcely exist outside nature reserves. Hay meadows have become rarities, while water meadows have dried out and ancient woodlands have been planted with non-native conifers. The Trust is working not just to protect what remains, but also to increase the numbers and diversity of native wild plants and animals in our countryside.
Popular reserves include:
Summer Leys, Pitsford Water
Pitsford Water
Pitsford Water is a reservoir in Northamptonshire, England. The reservoir was built in 1956 to supply the town of Northampton, which is about 6 miles to the south. The water is the third-largest in the United Kingdom, with a surface area of 2.85 square miles. Operated by Anglian Water, the...
and Old Sulehay in Northamptonshire; Grafham Water
Grafham Water
Grafham Water is a reservoir with a circumference of about . It is located between the villages of Grafham and Perry in the English county of Cambridgeshire ....
, Gamlingay Wood
Gamlingay Wood
Gamlingay Wood is 46 ha of woodland managed as a nature reserve by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough. It has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1955. It was listed in Domesday Book and appears to have been woodland for...
and Brampton Wood
Brampton Wood
Brampton Wood is located off the A14 in Cambridgeshire, four miles from Huntingdon. The woodland is an SSSI covering and is one of the largest remaining blocks of ancient woodland in the county, and is in the care of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and...
in Cambridgeshire and Pegsdon Hills
Pegsdon Hills
Pegsdon Hills are situated south and east of the hamlet of Pegsdon in the parish of Shillington in the English county of Bedfordshire. They form the north-eastern end of the Chiltern Hills. The most prominent hill is Deacon Hill....
and Flitwick Moor
Flitwick Moor
Flitwick Moor is managed as a nature reserve by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and lies between Flitwick and Greenfield in Bedfordshire....
in Bedfordshire.
Education Centres/Services
The Wildlife Trust has six environmental education centres, and works with local communities across the three counties, offering a range of opportunities to learn more about wildlife. This includes tailored learning for early years to sixth formers, under our ‘Really Wild Days Out’ programme linked to the national curriculum; project work for higher and further education students; teacher training sessions on environmental education for today’s teachers; learning opportunities and practical work for a variety of community groups; and family learning events enabling families with children to learn about wildlife together.
External links
- Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough website
- Become a member of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- Visit a Wildlife Trust reserve
- Wildlife Trust events
- Contact the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough
- Find out more about education services