Cassop Vale

Sunday 7th February 2010

Background information
National Nature Reserves are the conservation equivalent of National Parks all of which are sights of scientific interest.

The reserve is the most diverse wildlife site on County Durham's magnesium limestone, which formed on the bottom of shallow tropical seas some 250 million years ago.

The reserve is home to some of the rarest flora in the country. This includes species such as blue moor grass, rock-rose, globe-flower and bird's-eye primrose. As a result several specialised insects thrive, such as northern brown argus butterfly. This in turn attracts birds such as yellowhammer, whitethroat and green woodpecker.

The Task
This specialist grassland in under threat from encroachment, by gorse and shrubs. It will be our job to clear some of this back and stop succession taking over important parts of the reserve.

We will be meeting at the DSU at 9.30. Please bring a packed lunch, waterproofs and sensible footwear.