Watch stunning drone footage of one of Lancashire's newest nature reserves, which is being opened up to the public

The Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF) awarded a grant of more than £10,000 to enable Grimsargh Wetlands Trust to carry out the next phase of its development plans.

Grimsargh Wetlands is one of Lancashire’s newest nature reserves.

Made up of three former United Utilities reservoirs in Grimsargh, near Preston, the site once provided water for the local community and industry from the mid-1800s until they were decommissioned in 2001.

In 2017, the wetlands were taken over by the Grimsargh Wetlands Trust, which is now responsible for maintaining the site which is now home to a stunning range of wildlife.

Since securing a 25-year lease of the wetlands from Grimsargh Parish Council, the Trust has been working to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the nature reserve.

Central to the success of this, has been attracting funding to improve public access to the nature reserve, which was classified as a Biological Heritage Site in 2003.

Geoff Carefoot, a trustee at Grimsargh Wetlands Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid for funding from the LEF. The Fund has been a major supporter of our conservation work to date and this latest grant has enabled us to forge ahead with the next phase of our development plans, to open up viewing access into a new section of the wetlands.”

Visitors will have access to a new viewing point into an area of The Fen, which has been closed to the public since 2005. A concessionary path is due to open opposite the new Elston Park housing development on Preston Road in the next few weeks.

Trustee Andy Small said: “We are also taking the opportunity to create two additional ponds in The Fen to encourage amphibians and dragonflies to breed, which we hope our younger visitors will enjoy seeing once the time is right to re-commence our guided walks.”

Whilst contractors are onsite, two additional viewing screens are being installed overlooking The Island Lake, the central of the three reservoirs, where visitors can expect to see a variety of wading birds including Whimbrel, Curlew, Avocets and Little Ringed Plovers.

For more information about visiting Grimsargh Wetlands or to support the charity through a donation, membership or by becoming a corporate sponsor, visit grimsarghwetlands.org.

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