Our Projects
Did you know Cromwell Bottom has its own lagoon?
Located in a part of the reserve known as Brookfoot Loop, the lagoon, reed bed and surrounding wetland areas are an important habitat for wildlife, and if left undisturbed, will naturally dry out and be converted to woodland.
So, Calderdale Council Countryside Service (Robin Dalton in particular) and Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group have been working collaboratively to conserve and enhance this part of the reserve, including thinning out of denser woodland and active management of the reed beds.
The next phase will involve the careful import of water into the site, feasible because of funding secured by Calderdale Council from the European Regional Development Fund for the Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme.
We will keep you updated on progress and many thanks to the volunteers who continue to support this vital work.
New Pond Project - complete with seating for our Community and Education visitors
We built our new pond in 2022 to improve our pond dipping experience as more educational groups visit the reserve. Starting in February, contractors were employed to dig out the area and volunteers worked to line it and then fill with washed gravel, before planting out to encourage a habitat to form. Our open day in August saw lots of children pond dipping to look at the insects that had already started to visit us! You can two see pictures from the open day below!
Since adding further plants the pond has started to flourish and the plan is to encourage more groups to visit and have outdoor lessons on the variety of wildlife the pond now supports.
