At Little Paxton in Cambridgeshire, quarrying takes place on floodplain, originally wet grassland, but more recently arable farmland, adjacent to River Great Ouse which is a corridor for north/south bird migration. The quarry operates under environmental management system ISO14001.
“Little Paxton Pits” was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1986 (128 hectares). The SSSI straddles the LNR (ca. 40%) and the quarry (ca. 60%). In 2008 the site was awarded the Biodiversity Benchmark from The Wildlife Trusts.
Little Paxton Quarry is adjacent to Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, (PPNR) current size 77 hectares, which was itself formed from worked out gravel excavations. PPNR declared and designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in 1988 (size was 58 ha.). Following restoration, the reserve will extend to 285 ha.
Known biodiversity
As with most ex-gravel workings, ornithological biodiversity has developed very rapidly. Paxton Pits annually holds 60+ breeding species of bird.
Scrub is arguably the most important habitat. It contains an important group of breeding warblers (sedge, blackcap, willow, chiffchaff, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, grasshopper, garden). It is also crucial to nightingale (shown left) – 25 to 30 singing males in each year for the last 5 years have been noted within the reserve. Regionally important because this is the largest population of nightingales in Cambridgeshire. IUCN red-listed reed bunting is also increasing in number.
Marginal vegetation – This occurs around most of the lakes, in ditches, ponds and marshes, and includes pockets of wet woodland and reedbed where reed warblers are common. These habitats also support growing populations of invertebrates and mammals which include water shrew and otter.
Open water - Wintering wildfowl; usual range of species such as common shelduck, great crested grebe and little ringed plover. The wintering gadwall was specifically noted in the SSSI designation.
Islands – bare ground/grass – One of the lakes has a “finger island” designed to attract breeding waders. Other purpose-built features have been successful in attracting amber-listed lapwing and redshank. Both islands are managed by staff and volunteers.
Targets and aims
• To create a mosaic of habitats, especially those effectively lost to the Ouse Valley floodplain through intensive agricultural activity, and flood control measures to accommodate both agricultural and urban development.
• Specific target habitats are: wet grassland, wet woodland, secure breeding sites for ground-nesting wetland birds, scrub and reedbed.
• Creation of micro-habitats for invertebrates.
• Floral diversity will develop through natural regeneration over a fairly long timescale.
Partners
Friends of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve – formed in 1995 by the local community to improve the conservation value of the surrounding gravel pits, the FPPNR undertake bird monitoring and advise on the restoration and extension of PPNR. The Friends is the means by which the local community has become closely involved with development of the Quarry as an important wildlife site.
RSPB – volunteers have assisted with habitat management and monitoring since 1994. RSPB conservation staff have advised on plans for the restoration for the extension to the Reserve.
The Wildlife Trusts – Little Paxton Quarry was the first site within the business to achieve certification to the Biodiversity Benchmark.
Results
• Number of species of recorded birds has gradually increased across the extent of Paxton Pits from 157 to 216 over the last fifteen years.
• The specially created islands with managed water levels have been spectacularly successful in attracting breeding birds. Special targets are lapwing and redshank which nest most years. Common terns and up to 4 species of gull breed on these islands.
• Nightingale territories are spreading northwards from the reserve into the quarry as the quality of the scrub improves with age.
• Sizeable sandmartin colonies are an annual feature within the quarry boundaries. The site was used in guidance published by the Quarry Products Association (QPA, now part of the Minerals Products Association).
Lessons learned
• Use local expertise and enthusiasm where possible rather than national. Involve volunteers at an early stage when planning changes that might affect biodiversity are made.
• Develop good and timely communications between staff and volunteers monitoring the wildlife. This prevents mistakes in routine operations and can lead to biodiversity being maximised.
• Write management plans with specific objectives which are achievable with the resources available. Take small steps over a longer period of time if necessary.
• Monitoring and measuring is often the hardest part but essential in order to demonstrate improvement. Get baseline surveys and choose indicator species to reveal habitat improvement.