NATURE WALKS

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

CROPS

Key crops such as wheat, rapeseed, oat and barley are cultivated at Blacburns Farm and rotated annually to maintain soil quality. Growing crops has been the core activity at the farm for decades and it is planned to maintain this valued contribution to the local economy. During 2021/22 56 acres of farmland has been made available for the growing of wheat.

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wildflower meadow

At Blackburns Farm we are in the process of creating over 5 acres of Wildflower Meadows and plan to surround all our Great Crested Newt ponds with a 3-metre border of wetland wildflowers. The presence of wildflowers helps support dwindling populations of native pollinators including butterflies, moths and bees, leading to the successful pollination of the farm’s food crops. Furthermore, the wetland wildflower areas will provide food and habitat for insects, amphibians and small mammals

GREAT CRESTED NEWT PONDS

During 2021, in partnership with Natural England and the Wildlife Trust, Blackburns Farm commissioned 6 ponds for the Great Crested Newt. As part of a national initiative to save the species. The project will be subject to annual surveys by amphibian specialists. The Great Crested Newts have seen dramatic declines in their populations over the last 60 years despite being protected under UK and EU law. The new habitats have been created specifically in an attempt to reverse the trend.

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BIOLOGICAL HERITAGE SITE STATUS

As part of the Wildlife Trust’s extended habitat survey of the farm, two of the established ponds were found to meet the Biological Heritage Site (BHS) selection guidelines. A proposal for the ponds to be included in the programme will be considered at the next meeting of the BHS Site selection panel. The objective of the Biological Heritage Sites selection guidelines is to enable the systematic identification of those sites, which together with the statutory wildlife sites, will make the most significant contribution to the biological diversity of Lancashire

“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

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