Attenborough Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Attenborough Nature Reserve is a nature reserve
at Attenborough
, Nottinghamshire, England, located 7 Kilometres south west of Nottingham city centre. It is managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
in partnership with the site's owners, Cemex
(formerly RMC Group), supported by Broxtowe Borough Council. At its centre is a building called Attenborough Nature Centre, comprising visitor services and educational facilities.
The site was used as gravel pit
s between 1929 and 1967. The reserve was established in 1966 and opened by David Attenborough
. It now covers covers 145 hectares.
The reserve sits at the confluence of the River Erewash
and the Trent
, and is part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI). The SSSI extends westwards beyond the reserve, to the County Boundary.
There are large lakes formed by the flooded pits, plus drier areas of scrub and grassland, and areas of native willow.
Among the nationally rare birds seen at the reserve are Penduline Tit
(1994), Squacco Heron
(1998 and 2011), Purple Heron
(2003) and Sora
(2004).
Working gravel barges still pass through the site.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
at Attenborough
Attenborough, Nottinghamshire
Attenborough is a village and a suburb in the Broxtowe borough of Nottinghamshire. It forms part of Greater Nottingham, and is to the southwest of Nottingham, between Long Eaton and Beeston...
, Nottinghamshire, England, located 7 Kilometres south west of Nottingham city centre. It is managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust founded in 1963 is a wildlife conservation charity working to protect and enhance the wildlife and habitats of Nottinghamshire. They care for over 60 nature reserves covering more than of wildlife habitat ranging from wildflower meadows to ancient woodland...
in partnership with the site's owners, Cemex
Cemex
CEMEX is the world's largest building materials supplier and third largest cement producer. Founded in Mexico in 1906, the company is based in Monterrey, Mexico...
(formerly RMC Group), supported by Broxtowe Borough Council. At its centre is a building called Attenborough Nature Centre, comprising visitor services and educational facilities.
The site was used as gravel pit
Gravel pit
Gravel pit is the term for an open cast working for extraction of gravel. Gravel pits often lie in river valleys where the water table is high, so they may fill naturally with water to form ponds or lakes. Old, abandoned gravel pits are normally used either as nature reserves, or as amenity areas...
s between 1929 and 1967. The reserve was established in 1966 and opened by David Attenborough
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
. It now covers covers 145 hectares.
The reserve sits at the confluence of the River Erewash
River Erewash
The River Erewash is a river in England that flows roughly southwards through Derbyshire, close to its eastern border with Nottinghamshire.-Etymology:...
and the Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, and is part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI). The SSSI extends westwards beyond the reserve, to the County Boundary.
There are large lakes formed by the flooded pits, plus drier areas of scrub and grassland, and areas of native willow.
Among the nationally rare birds seen at the reserve are Penduline Tit
European Penduline Tit
The European Penduline Tit is a passerine of the genus Remiz. It is relatively widespread throughout Eurasia.The Asian species include the Black-headed Penduline Tit, Remiz macronyx, the White-crowned Penduline Tit, Remiz coronatus, and the Chinese Penduline Tit, Remiz consobrinus.It builds an...
(1994), Squacco Heron
Squacco Heron
The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a small heron, long, of which the body is , with wingspan. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.-Behaviour:...
(1998 and 2011), Purple Heron
Purple Heron
The Purple Heron is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia. The European populations are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa; the more northerly Asian populations also migrate further south within Asia...
(2003) and Sora
Sora (crake)
The Sora is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae, sometimes also referred to as the Sora Rail or Sora Crake.Adults Soras are long, with dark-marked brown upperparts, a blue-grey face and underparts, and black and white barring on the flanks. They have a short thick yellow bill, with black...
(2004).
Working gravel barges still pass through the site.