Habitat Management at Croft Close Nature Reserve
Croft Close Nature Reserve is a County Wildlife Site (CWS), selected for its significant area of scrub. But it is much more than that as it has developed into a rich habitat mosaic of scrub, young woodland and open grassy areas. Each of these contributes, in different ways, to the richness of the site’s biodiversity.
Professor Juliet Vickery writing in “The Wildlife and Community Value of Abbeyfields” (May 2021) noted: What was once an arable landscape has been left alone for nature to quietly claim it back from years of planting and harvesting. It has become a haven for birds, mammals, plants and insects, and, importantly, a haven that is accessible and with care, can be improved by sympathetic management.
Gaining the CWS status was a significant achievement; one which showed the community’s efforts to secure the site in perpetuity was both inspirational and well founded.
When recommending selection for CWS status, the BCN Wildlife Trust report made recommendations for the site’s management. These have been taken to shape ongoing site management activities for the different habitats, as follows.
The value of this site for wildlife in the local context is considerable. The rich interplay of woodland, scrub and open grassy areas, along with two small ponds, provides a vast amount of resource, shelter and nesting habitat for many animal species.
Lucy Wilson, Conservation Officer, The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire
Through our management we are seeking to retain the much-loved diverse character of the site.
In broad terms, this will often mean trimming back growth which threatens to get out of hand. Blocks of scrub will be systematically cut back hard on a 12 to 15-year cycle, while the grasslands will be kept free from intruding bushes (with the help of our rabbits).
The stands of woodland will be allowed to develop with minimal intervention other than specific actions to protect our veteran trees.