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Clints Quarry A Limestone Nature Reserve

Clints quarry 2015

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Page 1: Clints quarry 2015

Clints QuarryA Limestone Nature Reserve

Page 2: Clints quarry 2015

Located

North of Egremont,

Copeland in

West Cumbria.

This is an industrial environment located

on the rural-urban fringe

[landfill, cemetery, 2 main roads]

Pressures of littering and tipping exist

because it is perceived by many as

abandoned, unoccupied or uncared for.

Page 3: Clints quarry 2015
Page 4: Clints quarry 2015

Access is from

the minor road

off of the A5086

Page 5: Clints quarry 2015
Page 6: Clints quarry 2015

A gorge was

excavated

through the

limestone to

access the

central quarry,

this now acts

as a natural

barrier

Page 7: Clints quarry 2015

Quarrying has existed on the site for 450 years.

Page 8: Clints quarry 2015

Entrance

cutting

Deciduous

Woodland

Limestone

spoil ridges

Vertical

Cliff

Google

maps

Page 9: Clints quarry 2015
Page 10: Clints quarry 2015

Limestone

formed

about 350

million years

ago

Page 11: Clints quarry 2015

Since mining ceased in 1930 the spoil heaps on the quarry floor

have become a haven for wild flowers, especially the orchid.

Arranged in a fan radiating outwards from the entrance gorge

the smaller unusable material was piled up in long ridges.

Alkaline in nature and well drained this unique environment

attracts a diverse biodiversity.

Page 12: Clints quarry 2015
Page 13: Clints quarry 2015

Between the

ridges the

level is at

the water

table,

possibly why

quarrying

was

eventually

abandoned.

The leads to

a Carr type

environment

with open

bushy trees.

Page 14: Clints quarry 2015

Willow

Page 15: Clints quarry 2015

In other areas it has been managed to keep the limestone open

and encourage wild flowers.

Page 16: Clints quarry 2015

Not every channel is

saturated, this would have

been the disposal route

for the limestone blocks.

Therefore, contrasting

micro habitats exist.

Page 17: Clints quarry 2015

Species

Quaking Grass

Hoary Plantain

Mouse-ear hawkweed

Wild Thyme

All safe from the

agricultural practices

that has led to their

decline across Cumbria

Largely on the well-

drained ridges

Hawkweed

Page 18: Clints quarry 2015

Geographical Link

- “Explore the drier slopes

of the spoil heaps to find

wild strawberry, ox-eye

daisy, centaury, mouse-

eared hawkweed, bird's-

foot trefoil and

knapweed.”

- Cumbria Wildlife

Website

Page 19: Clints quarry 2015

Orchids

Tway blade

LOCAL - Pyramid

LOCAL - Bee orchid

Northern Marsh

Common spotted orchids

Page 20: Clints quarry 2015

Bee

Spotted

Pyramid

Which

is

which?

Page 21: Clints quarry 2015

Geographical Link

- ‘Damp conditions

between the spoil heaps

are ideal places to find

northern marsh and

common spotted orchid.’

- Cumbria Wildlife

Website

- [Maintaining suitable

levels of moisture is

therefore essential]

Page 22: Clints quarry 2015

Pond

and

Cliff

Palmate Newts [endangered

SSSI], Sticklebacks and pond

snails have colonised the 4

ponds

[hydrosere] Kestrels and ravens the cliffs

Page 23: Clints quarry 2015
Page 24: Clints quarry 2015

Note the natural succession [Lithosere]

Page 25: Clints quarry 2015

Note how on some cliff sections the canopy is under developed

Page 26: Clints quarry 2015

Management regimes keeps the cliffs at plagioclimax

Page 27: Clints quarry 2015

Since 1930 when quarrying

ceased the area has been

left to regenerate

Owned by the British Steel

and Lord Egremont, as a

source of limestone, it was

threatened as landfill in the

1980s and purchased by

the Cumbria Wildlife trust in

1984.

Page 28: Clints quarry 2015

WoodlandTo the East and South

Page 29: Clints quarry 2015

Ash and Sycamore are

the Canopy species

Hawthorn and Hazel are

shrub level species rising to

dominate where there is no

competition

Plenty of other species exist -

Holly, Beech, Birch

Page 30: Clints quarry 2015

Ground layer

Harts tongue fern

Dogs Mercury

Herb Robert

Red Campion

Page 31: Clints quarry 2015

Birds - Robin

Long tailed tit

Goldcrest

Woodland

extends beyond

the quarry edge

Page 32: Clints quarry 2015

Non Parasitic Climbers -

Ivy

Honeysuckle

Both evergreen, utilising

the trees structure to

maintain efficiency[or the

vertical rock.]

Page 33: Clints quarry 2015
Page 34: Clints quarry 2015

Animals Rabbits once naturally colonized the area.

No longer present. Without grazing the grass would grow

to shade the meadow flowers. Jacobs sheep are introduced late

in the year to keep grass down but cannot access the lower slopes

below the vertical cliffs.

Page 35: Clints quarry 2015

Working Party - December 2013

What evidence exists of this continuing

management practice?

Page 36: Clints quarry 2015

So why an SSSI?

Palmate Newt Conservation status

Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act,

1981

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

1166 Great crested newt Triturus cristatus

This disused quarry in north-west England contains several

pools that support a large great crested newt Triturus cristatus

population which has shown evidence of recruitment in recent

years. Terrestrial habitat associated with the breeding areas is

quarry spoil, early successional vegetation and surrounding

pasture

Page 37: Clints quarry 2015

Synthesis

3 environments

Industrial legacy

85 year succession

Mangement to maintain

limestone plagioclimax

Protects Great Crested

Newt and promotes

diversity.

Page 38: Clints quarry 2015

CreditsPhotography largely Mark Ollis

Species information Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Remaining photography via Google images

- search Clints Quarry

SSSI information from their site

An excellent series of Podcasts and

accompanying map is provided by CWT