After two long grey days at Martlesham Wilds, new sections of hedgerow have been planted and infilled with the help of our amazing volunteers and support from National Landscapes.  

The 1km of new hedges and filling in of gaps in existing hedges will go a long way to enhance the biodiversity of the reserve, buffer it from external pressures and connect it better to the surrounding landscape outside.  

Thank you to National Landscapes for providing the saplings for this conservation work!  

Through the variety of weather that February has treated us to, our North East Warden Team have been continuing conservation work across our reserves. This month the team has continued coppicing works in the woodlands, carried out tree safety work and cleared away scrub to create glades for vegetation and wildflowers.

A large hornbeam, a hardy evergreen, was coppiced as part of this conservation work – whilst the gnarly stump regrows enough light will hit the woodland floor to encourage new vegetation growth. All brash cleared from the site as a result, will be used as a dead hedge to protect areas from damaging deer browsing.

Reedbed work has also been underway, at Hen Reedbeds and Dingle Marshes. Using machinery our wardens have been cutting back reed bed areas near the edge of pools to create structure and diversity in the habitat. These cut sections provide an excellent foraging area for wildfowl and wading birds.

Wardens Becky and Linsey have been creating habitat for young birds at Lackford Lakes with the felling of trees around one of the many lakes. By felling these trees, a ‘soft edge’ is created around the perimeter of the water, providing hiding places and perches perfect for nesting and to act as a safe refuge for chicks. 

These felled logs will hopefully also act as an enticing perch for kingfishers, a visitor favourite at the reserve. 

The Young Wardens group at Lackford Lakes have been using their artistic skills to create a trail around the reserve based on the wildlife that can be found at Lackford Lakes. Painting on spare wood rounds from coppicing work on the reserve, the Young Wardens created artwork and fact files about their favourite species.

The finished artworks will be varnished and displayed around the reserve. Keep an eye out on your next visit to see which ones you can spot.

Our Wilder Rivers Officer, Alice has been working in the Wool Towns Farm Cluster (a designated area outlined for project funding consisting of Suffolk Wool Towns, such as Lavenham, Hadleigh and Sudbury) at sites adjacent to River Box and River Brett to enhance the floodplains here. The works, funded by the Environment Agency and Get Rivers Positive Scheme, will improve habitat in the floodplain by creating wetland scrapes and foot drains (shallow depressions in the floodplain, which seasonally hold water). 

Work will also lower the bank levels in designated areas to allow more water to be stored in the floodplain, during high flows, and released again slowly.  

Students from Suffolk New College have lent a helping hand at Trimley Marshes Nature Reserve to create a new stag beetle habitat. Working with our South East and Trimley Warden Joe, the group build a new log stack with standing deadwood in a wooded area to act as an enticing habitat for stag beetles to lay their eggs.  

Stag beetles live on average between three and seven years and spend the vast majority of that time as larvae underground. Creating habitats that are attractive and can support stag beetle larvae whilst they grow and eat throw rotting wood is key to the species lifecycle.  

Our members can read more about stag beetles and the work we do to support this species in the latest Wild Suffolk magazine. 

Signs of spring have begun emerging around Suffolk, from the nodding heads of the winter blooming snowdrops to the buds signalling the emergence of blackthorn blossom in hedgerows. Our Wardens have spotted lots of great signs of spring across the county, including hazel and willow catkins, songbirds amping up their calls, and the plumage of ducks shifting to their most spectacular colours.  

Our Lackford Lakes Visitor Experience Officer, Mike, has been spotting signs of spring across the reserve. Song thrush, dunnock, robin, wren, marsh tit and even siskin are beginning to sing.  February and March offer a good opportunity to get to know these songs as they start singing before they are joined by all the warblers in April.  Listen out also for drumming great spotted woodpeckers as you walk around outside.  

Looking forward to March the first migratory birds from Africa including blackcap, chiffchaff and sand martins are expected to start arriving.  

Read more about signs of spring in Suffolk here. 

Our engagement teams across the county have been celebrating National Nest Box Week this half term and have enjoyed welcoming you to all the sessions. From nest box building drop-ins and events to themed activities during regular sessions, we’ve had a great time exploring the importance of nest boxes and learning more about our native birds with you.  

Read more about National Nest Box Week here