Project summary:
A grant was awarded to Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council to support the employment of a Community Wildlife Officer and for project work on the local nature reserves (LNRs). The project aims to declare 6 LNRs, thus substantially increasing the area of LNR to one hectare for every 2,000 people in the Borough.

Peter Sheild, as Community Wildlife Officer, will develop opportunities for the people of urban Gateshead to enjoy and maximise their involvement in the management of all the LNRs. Peter, will seek to involve as many people as possible including those previously unable to use these wildspaces. This will be achieved by: using lessons learned from previous projects such as the ‘Bridging the Gap’ pilot project; undertaking outreach work involving schools and local community groups; minimising physical constraints, such as improving access; organising events such as festivals, practical activities which will involve an Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) team and local volunteer groups as well as ‘Friends of’ and WATCH groups. It is hoped to have a least one of these groups supporting each LNR.

The local community groups will be consulted over the development and implementation of LNR management plans. The project will be promoted through activities and by using mechanisms such as local media, posters, fliers, Council publications, Council’s website and asking the partners (Durham Wildlife Trust, the Great North Forest project and English Nature) to promote this project. Site management plans will be formulated within year three of the project as Peter will produce an ‘exit strategy’, enhancing the projects sustainability within four years of the start of the project to secure long term gains for the local people and biodiversity of east Gateshead, far beyond the period of the project.

Grant money will also go towards interpretation panels, publications, access, tools and habitat management. Presently the LNRs are managed through a partnership between the Council and the Durham Wildlife Trust.

Bensham Butterfly Station proposed LNR is a small area of grassland and scrub created in 1992 as part of Gateshead’s Urban Wildlife Project on the derelict site of the former Bensham Railway Station. Butterfly attractants such as Buddleia were used extensively. Surfaced paths were provided to create access for all with on-site interpretation. Cross Lane Meadows proposed LNR is an area of lowland neutral grassland created from 1995 onwards on degraded former horse pasture by the A1 trunk road, immediately south of the MetroCentre shopping complex. Located within a wildlife corridor the site is also includes a small wetland and an area of recently planted locally native woodland.

Norwood Nature Park proposed LNR was first developed in 1990 as the Northumberland Wildlife Trust and BTCV gardens at the Gateshead National Garden Festival. It later became the focus for an urban environmental project. The River Team flows through part of the site and habitats created include a wetland and extensive woodlands with boardwalk access.

Pelaw Quarry proposed LNR is a partially reclaimed former quarry, including an established wetland, surrounded by areas of herb-rich grassland and scrub.

The Kittiwake Tower proposed LNR is an artificial nesting tower built in 1998 to accommodate birds displaced by re-development of the Baltic Flour Mill as an international centre for contemporary art. The River Tyne is Gateshead and Newcastle has an inland nesting colony of kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla. The tower stands within an area of closely mown amenity grassland and was seen to be very successful with over 100 nesting pairs in 2002.

Windy Nook Nature Park proposed LNR was created on an area of grassland and scrub in 1980 as a resource for local schools and community groups. The plant communities on this site include remnant dry acid grassland with ling, gorse and mat grass present. There is also a small spring fed wetland, scrub and hedge planting successfully established in the 1980s. The scrub supports a good warbler population for such an urban site, including blackcap, whitethroat, willow warbler and the locally uncommon lesser whitethroat.