BLACKBURNS FARM
Nurseries & Wildlife centre
OPENING SPRING 2024
BLACKBURNS FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
Blackburns Farm, located at the heart of the Fylde, is possibly one of the community’s best kept secrets. With some careful interventions and the continued support of organisations such as The Wildlife Trust, Royal Horticultural Society and Natural England, it has become a vital and unique haven where local wildlife can thrive. Blackburns Farm enables a more biodiverse future, through bringing local people closer to nature.
The education centre, cafe, together with nature trails, bird hides and information boards around parts of the farm, allow the local community and visitors to The Fylde, and Lancashire as a whole, the ability to learn about, and see for themselves, wildlife on the farm and how land management can be changed to benefit wildlife, raise awareness of nature, and help people’s health and well-being.
“We believe that we can achieve more for wildlife by working together, everyone has a part to play in achieving nature’s recovery.”
– Lancashire Wildlife Trust
THE VISION
Blackburns Farm, located at the heart of the Fylde, is possibly one of the community’s best kept secrets. With some careful interventions and the continued support of organisations such as The Wildlife Trust, Royal Horticultural Society and Natural England, it will become a vital and unique haven where local wildlife can thrive. Blackburns Farm will enable a more biodiverse future, bringing local people closer to nature.
WILDLIFE TRUST BIODIVERSITY BENCHMARK
We have events all through the year for people of all ages – we would love you to be a part of
SURROUNDED BY ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE
Head out on an adventure and see what spectacular wildlife you can find on our spectacular reserve!
WILDLIFE TRUST BIODIVERSITY BENCHMARK
The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark is the only standard that certifies management of business landholdings in the best interests of wildlife. The Biodiversity Benchmark tests the design and implementation of a business’s management systems to achieve continual biodiversity enhancement and protection on their landholdings. The requirements of the Biodiversity Benchmark include encouraging partner organisations to define and fulfil objectives relating to the continual conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. The first partnership meeting was held at Blackburns Farm in December 2021 and included representatives from;
- Enviromental Agency
- Fylde Bird Club
- Fylde Borough Council (Ranger Service
- Lancashire County Council
- National Farmers Union
- Natural England
- Ribble Rivers Trust
- Butterfly Conservation
- Country Landowners Association
- Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds
NATURE WALKS
Blackburns farm is a wonderful place to get close to the natural world. GO on one of our nature walks with beautiful birds and flowers, and wildlife a plenty. Maps are available from the cafe and education centre.
WHAT'S THERE TO SEE?
- Grade One Biological Heritage PONDS
- bee hives
- Remembrance Woods
- Conservation Area
- TREE NURSERY
- Several Bird Hides
- 6 Great Crested Newt PONDS
- WILDFLOWER MEADOWS
WILDLIFE RECENTLY SPOTTED AT BLACKBURNS FARM
HELPING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY
Contributing to our local community has always been one of our priorities – Want to be a part of it?
THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND WILDLIFE
Want to find out more about our education centre here are Blackburns Farm? You’re in the right place!
Remembrance Woods
The Remembrance Woods was set up by the Bradshaw family in 2020 during the Covid19 lockdown. It began with an idea Andrew Bradshaw had over dinner, which was then executed by the entire family led by his daughter Ashley. There are over 1000 trees now planted at the remembrance woods, and it has become a sanctuary to many, a place to come to remember cherished memories of those who have trees in their memory. To dedicate a tree the cost is £340, which includes a plaque, and the monies go towards the ongoing maintenance costs at the wood. It is requested that all trees are kept natural and no stones or fencing are placed around trees to help us ensure the woods are kept looking beautiful.
EDUCATION
Moving forward Blackburns Farm will provide the ideal environment for a Wildlife Education Centre, providing the opportunity for children and adults alike to achieve a better understanding of the natural world, via a hands-on experience.
GREEN SOCIAL PRESCRIBING PROGRAMME
Alongside benefitting education, the recent pandemic has also highlighted the importance of being outdoors to people’s mental and physical health, as well as the inequality of access to green space.
Blackburns Farm has been working closely with the Wildlife Trust and North West in Bloom to become part of the green social prescribing network and take full advantage of the following focuses;
- IMPROVEMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES
- REDUCTION OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES
- REDUCTION OF DEMAND ON THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL NETWORKS
- EVELOPMENT OF BEST PRACTICE IN MAKING GREEN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES MORE RESILIENT AND ACCESSIBLE
The planned education centre will be a huge asset to the programme, providing effective support to those in need within our local community.
“It is often said that nature soothes the soul. I certainly find the Remembrance Woods and farmland to be a soothing, relaxing and restorative place. As a former teacher I fully support the vision of Blackburns Farm particularly its plans to establish a Wildlife Education Centre which would prove an excellent opportunity for children to increase their first hand knowledge of the natural world”
– Jo Bracewell, Celebrant.
THE CAFE
Blackburns Farm, located at the heart of the Fylde, is possibly one of the community’s best kept secrets. With some careful interventions and the continued support of organisations such as The Wildlife Trust, Royal Horticultural Society and Natural England, it will become a vital and unique haven where local wildlife can thrive. Blackburns Farm will enable a more biodiverse future, bringing local people closer to nature.
“Blackburns Farm, Wrea Green, will be the first farm to be awarded The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark, joining the likes of Aggregate Industries, Center Parcs, EDF new nuclear power stations, Gatwick & Heathrow Airports, the Met Office HQ and Tarmac in demonstrating an ongoing commitment to biodiversity protection and enhancement. Blackburns Farm will be the first site in the Borough of Fylde to apply for and be awarded the standard for its land management. Personally speaking, I believe that Blackburns Farm will become a wildlife hotspot as habitat enhancements are made and surveys show increases in species numbers and distribution. The proposed visitor centre hosting café, education/meeting room and farm shop, together with surfaced trails, bird hides and information boards around parts of the farm, will mean that local communities and visitors
to the Fylde, and Lancashire as a whole, will be able to learn about, and see for themselves, wildlife on the farm and how land management can be changed to benefit wildlife, raise awareness of nature, and help people’s health and well-being.”
– John Lamb, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Senior Conservation Officer.
OUR PARTNERS
