Focus on Nosterfield Nature Reserve

Nosterfield Nature Reserve sits in what was once a sand and gravel quarry. Even before the mineral extraction ended, birds were flocking to the open water and insect rich silty margins. Close behind came the bird watchers, keen to discover what was there.

Now, Nosterfield Nature Reserve attracts over 150 species of bird during the year, has hundreds of bee orchids in flower during the summer, whilst other rare and specialist plants such as mudwort and blunt-flowered rush have also established themselves naturally. Mammals such as Rabbit, Brown hare, Roe deer, Stoat and Weasel visit the site. Dragonflies and damselflies, creatures whose ancestors have been around more than 450 million years, hunt the air for their insect food, and butterflies seek out nectar from the wild flowers. It is one of the most important wetland sites in North Yorkshire.

How Did It Happen?

The working quarry began life in the early 1950's, when planning permission was granted. Sand and gravel extraction was substantially finished by the mid 1990's. Tarmac Ltd., the owners, sold off most of the site to a local businessman.

By 1993 the range of birds visiting the site was sufficient for it to be designated as a Site of Importance to Nature Conservation (SINC) by North Yorkshire County Council. This designation squashed proposals by the owners to turn the area into a landfill site.

With development plans thwarted, the Lower Ure Conservation Trust was formed in 1997, specifically to turn the old quarry into a nature reserve.

With the aid of £150,000 of Landfill Tax monies from Yorventure Ltd., LUCT was able to purchase 28 hectares of the old quarry. Tarmac Northern Ltd. still owned 14 hectares, which it leased to LUCT for a peppercorn rent. The company also helped to re-profile the site, in line with LUCT's advice, producing the contours which would result in the successful natural regeneration and habitat development of the site.

A further 14 hectares of grassland, again part of the former quarry, were purchased using Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund monies, in 2003, enlarging the reserve to its current 56 hectares.

Creating LUCT

The Lower Ure Conservation Trust is a Company Limited by Guarantee. This means that it doesn't have shareholders in the usual way and isn't required to make a profit. The Trust has three trustees, Simon Warwick, Christopher Bourne-Arton and Malcolm Barnett.