Old Cricket Field Nature Reserve
Wonderful Wetlands:
 Wonderful Wetlands
The Wolvey Old Cricket Field Wetland Reserve is a habitat type known as rush pasture. Plants that characterize this habitat are purple moor grass
Molinia caerulea, a tussocky deciduous grass and rushes like the sharp-flowered rush
Juncus acutiflorus. Amongst the purple moor grass and rush species, a wide range of plants can be supported. The variety of flowering plants supports a diverse insect fauna including butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Foxes and deer regularly find shelter on purplemoor grass and rush pasture, while many sites are closely associated with breeding and wintering birds. Rare waders such as redshank, snipe and curlew are all associated with this rush pasture. These birds have long bills and feed on insects in the soil. They need soft damp soils which they can probe their bills into to find insect prey. Purple moor grass and rush pastures are a priority for conservation because of the rich biodiversity that they support. They are also on severe decline having been drained and destroyed across large parts of the country. These habitats are very vulnerable and susceptible to modification, fragmentation and isolation. In Wolvey the chance to manage this special place for both peoples enjoyment and local wildlife is a delightful challenge that I hope to be able to be fully involved with.
Louise Sutherland
Wetland Project Officer
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
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