Butterflies will be at the centre of celebrations to mark the
successful efforts that have seen 10 hectares of countryside being
officially designated as Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) by Natural
England.
The public are being invited to come along on Sunday, July 27 to
a range of fun events being held between 10am and 1pm at the
Sandlings, which is off Larkhill Rise, Rushmere St Andrew.
“Both The Sandlings and Mill Stream open spaces have won the
classification after a great deal of work by Suffolk Coastal’s
countryside and open spaces team, supported by Rushmere St Andrew
Parish Council and the Greenway Project, who have managed to get
these sites up to meet the tough requirements of Natural England,”
said Cllr Mary Neale, Cabinet Member for Leisure and
Countryside.
“LNR designation confirms that local people value these areas
extremely highly and that both sites need protecting and managing
for current and future generations. It’s good news for local
people, and the flora, fauna and wildlife that call these sites
their home,” added Cllr Neale, who will be formally declaring the
sites at 10am on the day.
Butterflies are the most significant residents of Sandlings,
with 22 out of a possible 31 species having been seen on the site,
including the White-letter Hairstreak which is scarce in Britain
and has a high butterfly conservation priority status and has been
proposed as a BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) priority species.
On the day there will be an orienteering quiz to find the hidden
butterflies, with a first prize of a digital camera and butterfly
book, along with a chance to design a butterfly to add to a
butterfly tree, and there will also be storytelling.
Light refreshments will be on
offer.
Sandlings is an area of redundant agricultural land which was
formerly used for grazing livestock and most recently horses. It is
mainly grassland and oak scrub, with several remnant hedgerows and
areas of young secondary woodland.
Mill Stream is predominantly an area of public open space that
has been managed by Suffolk Coastal for several years. It is a
stream valley comprising a mosaic of fen vegetation and alder and
willow carr with several areas of open water, which support a high
biodiversity. It is most notable for water voles, a BAP species,
which are present on the site.
Any resident wanting more details about the celebration day or
the new nature reserves can contact the Council’s countryside and
open spaces team on 01394
444619.