Cub Scouts help Wildlife at Reserve
Wagtails, newts and burrowing bees will benefit from the work of Godmanchester Cub Scouts at Paxton Pits Nature Reserve. The Cub Scouts dug two shallow ponds and constructed a south-facing bank with the spoil.
The ponds will hold rainwater for only short periods each year, but this is sufficient to attract the insects that provide good hunting for both pied and grey wagtails, and smooth newts, as they search for food. The banks are designed to be warm and attract burrowing insects, including bees, adding to the biodiversity of the Reserve.
The tasks were organised by The Friends of Paxton Pits and Huntingdonshire District Council Countryside Rangers, and supported by Bardon Aggregates, which operates the quarry to the north of the Reserve.
The project is part of the CSV Action Earth campaign supported by Morrisons Supermarkets. The campaign is organised by the national charity Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and involves over 900 voluntary organisations, businesses and community groups that will be undertaking projects that are of immediate and lasting benefit to the environment.
Cub Scout Leader Sheila Wotherspoon said “The Cubs thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and so did the adults! Shovels, wheelbarrows and plenty of mud and water were irresistible! The ponds and banks are close to the Reserve’s Heron Nature Trail, so they can bring their families to the Reserve to show off their efforts.”
For more information, contact:
Ray Matthews, Chairman of The Friends of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, on 01480 215277
Paxton Pits Nature Reserve is managed by Huntingdonshire District Council Countryside Services, supported by The Friends and the local community. The Reserve is a rich mosaic of wildlife habitats covering 75 hectares of lakes, riverside, meadow, reedbed, scrub and woodland. The Visitors’ Centre is open at weekends and on most weekdays, for information, refreshments, sales and a friendly welcome!