Rewilding Success!
FROM OLD QUARRY TO STUNNING ECOLOGY
Flora & Forna
It's taken around 11 years to begin to see the amazing transformation and benefits brought to this once disused industrialised site. We are so proud of our ongoing re-wilding program, just seeing the abundance of wildlife and stunning wildflowers and grasses that now call Park in the Past ‘home’.
The lake, now that we have the solar-powered ‘Algae Busters,’ is crystal clear and has great water quality. It is home to a wide range of fish, water birds, and our beaver!
It's wonderful to walk in the Park and see the king fishers or even the Osprey fishing in the lake.
Beautiful Bee Orchids
One of our success of the year so far are our Bee Orchids - they made their first showing this year and are stunning! These once common orchids have become a protected species due to their sad decline - they have been badly affected by habitat loss, and the use of agricultural chemicals.
Bee orchids may only flower once in their lifetime, which explains their appearance in large numbers in some years and disappearance in others. The seeds germinate in the spring and can take as long as six years before they reach a flowering stage.
We’re keeping everything crossed we'll see them again next year.
Fantastic Frogs
Although still prevalent throughout the UK, common frog numbers have declined in recent years.
Loss of breeding habitat is a big factor, with an increasing number of ponds being filled for development, Consequently we were so pleased to see our frogs have done well this year.
The cool evenings saw hundreds of tiny frogs hopping across our tracks and paths down by the lake.
We hope the birds didn't take too many and that this year's tiny froglets go on to produce more!