Nature recovery

A morning visit to Ailsworth Marsh, a County Wildlife Site with a limestone stream and seepages, which has not received any management for many years and consequently has declined in interest. Many of the key species are still present, and it certainly could be improved by infilling of some drainage ditches and instituting a sensitive grazing regime.

In the evening I went out to Ailsworth Recreation Ground, where a group of residents are working with the Parish Council to convert a regularly mown area of amenity grassland into wildflower meadows and parkland with a range of native trees. Considering the work was only started last year, it's already looking good and I was able to advise them on future management to create even more biodiversity.