Countryside Service
The Old Brickworks Nature Reserve
Following extensive consultation with local people this area is now officially known as "The Old Brickworks Nature Reserve".
The Summer 2009 Newsletter is now available to download.
The area has had a diverse history. A thriving clay pit and brick making factory in the 1950's, nature reclaimed the area once the industry had gone. The post industiral legacy of small pools, grassland and small patches of scrub proved ideal for amphibians. By the 1990's there were large numbers of frogs, toads, smooth newts and great crested
newts (GCN). GCN are now legally protected by UK and European law.
The reserve is situated 1.5Km from Hednesford town centre either side of Keys Park Road
A 1.5Km circular route on a tarmac and street lit paths runs round the reserve.
Currently there are no rest points.
The Industrial History of the Old Brickworks
The opening of the brickworks on this site was the prime reason for the closure of an earlier brickworks on what is now the Angelsey business park on littleworth road.
The brickworks on this site was established in the early 1930's on the colliery tip (1.6Ha/ 4 acres) near Old Hednesford Colliery, the pit shale was used to make 170,000 bricks a week.
The discovery of clay reserves prompted the purchase of a further 6.3Ha (15 1/2 acres). Expansion and new kilns raised output to 16,000,000 a year. Demand for the bricks was high with large orders from hospitals, power stations and schools. To meet this demand another kiln was built, however there were technical difficulties with the kiln and it was soon abandoned.
By 1964 the brickworks employed 186 people, had six kilns and operated 24 hours a day producing 80,000 bricks/day (27,000,000 annually).
In the early 1970's Butterley Brick took over production from the NCB (National Coal Board). By the end of the 1970's the brickworks ceased production and the site began to be reclaimed by nature. The many small pools and grassland proved ideal habitat for the great crested newts and other amphibians.
The site remained derelict (Brownfield land) until the mid 1990's when it became redeveloped for housing and light industry/warehousing. The national drive to develop Brownfield land didn't take account of biodiversity. This was rectified by the inclusion of this type of habitat being included in the UK Habitat Action Plan.
Wildlife on The Old Brickworks Nature Reserve
During the redevelopment of the area for housing and industry/warehousing the amphibians were caught and held until after building had finished when they were released again.
To provide suitable habitat for great crested newts, and the other amphibians on site, the remaining open spaces were seeded with a wildflower grassland mix. The mix is bright and colourful in summer, providing nectar and pollen for butterflies, bees and many other insects. Flowers to look out for include:
Ox Eye Daisy, Buttercup, Yellow Rattle, Birds Foot Trefoil, Grass Vetchling, Common Vetch and Quaking Oat Grass.
The many trees planted on the site will be thinned and coppiced to ensure that they do not shade out the grassland that supports the amphibians. The open grassland is current still home to Skylarks however if the young trees create a too enclosed habitat the will become extinct from this site. Skylark nest on the ground and are prone to disturbance by inquisitive dogs and hungry local cats.
One of the ponds on the Old Brickworks Nature Reserve has become infested with Crassula Helmsii (australian swamp stonecrop) an incredibly fast growing plant that left alone completely covers ponds. This would make the infested pond unsuitable for great crested newts which, display in open water. Crassula is capable of growing from the very smallest of fragments and has proved to be quite resistant to available weedkillers. The countryside service ihas tried to control this plant by exculding the light from the pond by covering it with tarpaulin sheets. This cover has now been removed and the pond is being monitored for any signs of this invasive weed
This is a good example of the damage that garden escapes can do in the wild. It is one of the reasons why it is not a good idea to put excess frogspawn from garden ponds into the wild. Unwittingly you could be causing a serious problem.
In November 2008 specialist contractors were called in the help the amphibians that call this site home. The large pool had over the years before the countryside service become illegally stocked with fish. Fish are very effective predators of amphibians. 72 carp weighing upto 19lbs and 22000 silver fish (roach, bream, perch etc) were removed and stocked in Milking Brook pool - fishing permits are availble from the countryside service.
Conservation Management Tasks for winter 2009
Over the winter the countryside service and the countryside volunteers will be carrying out the following conservation management tasks.
- Some of the young plantations will be coppiced. Coppicing will retain the trees but without killing off the grassland which is important for the Great Crested Newts and other amphibians on site. The more open aspect might encourage the return of skylarks that used to nest onsite before the trees go too tall. - to be completed autumn 2009
- Crassula - ongoing monitoring.
- New ponds suitable for GCN breeding will be dug.
- Some ponds will be fenced to exclude dogs. Dogs swimming in ponds make the water very cloudy and less suitable for newt breeding. Dogs may swim in unfenced ponds at the discretion of the owner.
Telephone: 01543 462621
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