Hatch Mere Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Hatch Mere Nature Reserve is a nature reserve
managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
.
Hatch Mere is one of a series of lakes and peatlands across the North-West formed by the glacial action at the end of the last Ice Age, and part of the Northwest Midlands Meres and Mosses Ramsar site, a wetland site of international importance. The mere is home to many birds including the beautiful great crested grebe. Reed bunting and willow warbler also nest among the common reed and lesser reed mace that almost encircle the mere. As well as the mere itself, our nature reserve includes the surrounding fens, wet woodland and wet heath. Up to 13 species of dragonfly and damselfly having been recorded on the reserve, including the rare hairy dragonfly and the variable damselfly. To the west of the mere the Trust has cleared large amounts of birch to enhance the wet mossland vegetation. Here there are heather, bilberry, cotton grass and sphagnum mosses. There are deep boggy pools hidden in the vegetation, so it is as well to keep to the path and watch where you put your feet.
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...
managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Cheshire and parts of the counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside, England...
.
Hatch Mere is one of a series of lakes and peatlands across the North-West formed by the glacial action at the end of the last Ice Age, and part of the Northwest Midlands Meres and Mosses Ramsar site, a wetland site of international importance. The mere is home to many birds including the beautiful great crested grebe. Reed bunting and willow warbler also nest among the common reed and lesser reed mace that almost encircle the mere. As well as the mere itself, our nature reserve includes the surrounding fens, wet woodland and wet heath. Up to 13 species of dragonfly and damselfly having been recorded on the reserve, including the rare hairy dragonfly and the variable damselfly. To the west of the mere the Trust has cleared large amounts of birch to enhance the wet mossland vegetation. Here there are heather, bilberry, cotton grass and sphagnum mosses. There are deep boggy pools hidden in the vegetation, so it is as well to keep to the path and watch where you put your feet.