Our agreement with the landowner means we must raise funding and exchange contracts before the end of September 2023. if acquired, Christ’s College Pits would be managed as part of our portfolio of reserves looking to link up areas through hedgerow management and the creation of wildflower meadows between Christ’s College Pits and Vergette Wood-Meadow through the management of The Drain and The Drift as shown in the map.
The future: our plans for the site
The pits would form a separate reserve – known as Christ’s Pits – with the two water bodies named as Westings Pit and Clare Pit, marking the heritage of the site.
A detailed management plan has not yet been drawn up – we hope to do this during the twelve-month period we have for fund-raising – but initial walks over the site have suggested the following
- Creation of three viewing points (see map above) to allow the general public to view the pits and enjoy the key natural features
- Development of small open areas of grassland along the boundary with the Maxey Cut specifically designed to support the expansion on to the site of the existing colonies of four spotted moth and glow-worm
- Creation of a further point for supplementary feeding of turtle dove, near the eastern boundary of the site
- Controlling the spread of the invasive species crassula, so that margins are retained around the pits to provide food-sources for ducks and wading birds
- Creation of new seasonal water scrapes within the grassland areas to provide habitat for amphibians and aquatic insects
- Installation of tern rafts on both pits
- Installation of owl and bat boxes
- Installation of a sand martin nest box viewable from the public viewing points
- Creation of an artificial bank suitable for kingfishers
- Creation of an artificial otter holt
Anticipated Outcomes
The key outcomes we anticipate are
- Breeding populations of turtle dove, common tern, sand martin and kingfisher as well as grebes, coot, moorhen and tufted duck
- Wintering populations of snipe, lapwing, green sandpiper
- Establishment of colonies of four spotted moth and glow-worm on the reserve itself, as they expand from their existing colonies on the Cut
- Development of populations of other key insect and amphibian species.
Public Access
Because of its sensitivity to disturbance and the health and safety hazards associated with large water-bodies, we are not proposing open access to the site. Instead, the Trust proposes to create three viewing points: two that can be accessed from the Cut and one from the footpath on the eastern boundary. This would involve realigning the fence so that there was access to within 2 metres of the water’s edge at each of these points. Screens would be erected to avoid unnecessary disturbance but to allow good views over the water. The potential sites are marked on the map. Planning permission would not be required for these, as no permanent structures are being created.
Each of the viewing points would contain a bench, viewing screen and interpretation board, explaining different aspects of the biodiversity of the site and its history with particular references to Westings Meadow and to John Clare. Each would make use of QR codes to direct visitors to the Trust’s website where more detailed information and maps can be found.
In addition, Langdyke would organise (as part of its regular programme of events – see https://langdyke.org.uk/welcome-to-langdyke-countyside-trust/events/ a series of at least quarterly guided walks around the site, open to all members of the public (free to Langdyke members, a small charge per head for non-members).