An Oxfordshire nature reserve is about to expand into neighbouring farmland, giving the rare bird species that live there loads more space to roam.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Otmoor reserve was established back in 1997, and has been a ‘haven for wildlife’ ever since. The 485-hectare site has been slowly transforming from empty fields into rugged wetland, the natural environment for some of Britain’s most at-risk bird species like lapwings, snipes, redshanks and more.
With the support of Cherwell District Council, the reserve is set to take over 21 hectares (52 acres) of disused agricultural land and wet-ify it (not a technical term). The area is already being transformed into more floodplain grazing marshes, making way for a second habitat bank; a space dedicated to strengthening biodiversity and allowing for species to thrive.
The whole site, including the habitat bank, will be managed by the RSPB, which is planning to target those rare wading birds and continue to support their population growth.
The charity’s chief operating officer James Robinson said that it is ‘delighted’ to help expand Otmoor, one of the largest reserves of its kind in Britain. He explained that the RSPB’s approach to conservation is future-focused and ‘rooted in ecological science’, adding that its habitats are designed to remain in place and benefit local wildlife for decades to come.
Once complete, the site will help the Cherwell district reach a ‘biodiversity net gain’, a new regulation for developers which dictates they must leave nature in a better state than it was before they began building. That’s a win for us humans as well as the birds, hedgehogs, and bugs that will thrive in the marshes.
Jean Conway, a local councillor, said that she was very proud that the district had begun working towards an environmental net-gain so quickly, as it only became law last year. She also noted how pleased the council is to be working alongside the RSPB, with its 'unrivalled' expertise and experience, to introduce a new habitat to the site.
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