Going wild at Devil’s Dyke with Jim Paice MP
Conserving nature and managing land for the benefit of wildlife was the focus of a visit and walk by Jim Paice, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, and Brian Eversham and Chris Gerrard of the Wildlife Trust, along Devil’s Dyke near Newmarket on 30th July 2010.
Devil’s Dyke is an internationally important site for wildlife in South East Cambridgeshire and the Wildlife Trust is working with local landowners to manage the site along with adjoining farmland so that insects, birds and mammals can flourish.
Chief Executive Brian Eversham said: “On our walk along Devil’s Dyke we found some amazing wildlife including clouds of Chalkhill Blue butterflies and a wide range of plants such as rock-rose, horseshoe-vetch, salad burnet and squinancywort. These precious fragments of nature are perfect reservoirs of wildlife from which the surrounding countryside can be ‘topped up’ with scarce species. It’s a real tribute to the hard work of local farmers who manage Devil’s Dyke with the help and support of the Wildlife Trust.”
Jim Paice MP said: “This week, we asked for the views of people from right across the country on how we should shape the nature of England, so it was a particularly good time to meet the local Wildlife Trust and hear their views on how to protect our wildlife and their habitats, and how they’re encouraging people to take care of their local environment, which is what the Big Society is all about.”
The Wildlife Trust is very active in South East Cambridgeshire with over 2,000 members, 8 nature reserves and volunteer groups for adults and young people in Ely.