Ecology Tour of Warleigh Nature Reserve, Bath, Somerset

Protect Earth purchased this site at Warleigh at the end of January this year with the intention of creating a new nature reserve.

The two and a half to three hour tour begins at the far end of The Angelfish Cafe car park at the bottom of Brassknocker Hill, Bath where Oscar, our ecologist, will meet you and take you on a walking tour of the new Warleigh Nature Reserve and Dundas Aqueduct, stopping at intervals to point out specific habitats, and species, discuss our projects and learn about the site’s history.

The introductory talk will aim to:

• Explain what modern ecology is, and the novel ideas that have caused it to develop from its ancient historical roots into a highly relevant and useful scientific discipline.
• Summarise Protect Earth’s goals for the reserve
• Describe how those goals are being pursued, and their current state of progress

Oscar will then lead the group along a route that will pass through each of the different habitat zones. At each, he will stop and explain how common or rare that habitat type is across the UK, what groups of species it hosts, and any benefits it can be expected to provide to the wider landscape outside the reserve (for example, by acting as a buffer for the water table, the wet woodland habitat will reduce the amplitude with which the Avon floods, alleviating stress on beaver populations and protecting human settlements downstream).

At the far end of the reserve we will stop for tea, coffee and a comfort break, where you will have the opportunity to ask questions before eventually returning to the start by a different route. Please wear long trousers and suitable footwear for uneven paths, which may be wet in places.

If you donated more that £60 to our recent crowdfunder you are entitled to a free ticket, so click the crowdfunder ticket button to book. Otherwise, the general admission price is £60 which will be used to help develop this new nature reserve, plus Eventbite admin fee.

PLEASE NOTE:

This tour requires a minimum of five people. If the minimum is not reached you will be offered a tour on an alternative date.

This tour is not suitable for people with limited mobility. Please contact us on help@protect.earth if you would like to join us on a more accessible tour.