This website is provided by the
"Sulehay Volunteer Group" .

Who are they?
Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) in Ring Haw fields

Sulehay Nature Reserve

 Badger in Sulehay Forest

Management Plans
Management Plans are compiled by the Wildlife Trust to define the short and medium term objectives for managing a site in order to achieve the longer term goals.

The plans may also define specific aspects and attributes to be monitored in order to determine if the targets are being met.

Management Plan Basics. The reserve consists primarily of limestone grassland and limestone quarry areas, together with an ancient woodland. These areas support a number of species that are rare in the country. In order to maintain these important habitats, certain management activities have been defined:
  • The reserve needs to be protected agaist further spread of sycamore.
  • The ride sides need to be managed to stop the rides being overgrown, and to re-create some open spaces.
  • The spread of birch and ash (particularly in the quarry area) needs to be stopped, and reversed in some areas.
  • The rough ground habitat in the quarry needs to be maintained, and recovered in some places.
  • Previously cultivated areas need to be restored to grassland
  • The spread of hawthorn and blackthorn onto existing grassland areas need to be stopped, and reversed in places.
  • Footpaths and boundary fencing to be maintained.

For a more detailed explanation of certain management activities (completed or planned), refer to the page relating to each reserve area - Sulehay Forest, Stonepit Quarry and Ring Haw.

To view individual task lists, see the links below.
From the winter of 2004, the SVG have been compiling a list of management tasks covering a summer and a winter program. These task lists are ammended as appropriate as the work is carried out, or as new tasks are identified. Select from the following links to view the latest version of these task lists:
Winter 2004/5
Summer 2005
Winter 2005/6
Summer 2006
Winter 2006
Summer 2007
The original plan covering the summer months of 2005 had to be abandoned in order to concentrate on ragwort removal. This is all the more remarkable in view of the fact that 2004 was a year in which ragwort was almost non-existent on the reserve.
The preferred method of controlling ragwort is to pull the plants up before they flower and seed. This is a time consuming activity, which has been focussed on East Field, and the following areas of Ring Haw - Calcining Banks (south and north sides, east side still to be done), Ring Haw Quarry, Walden Lane, Weighbridge Sidings, and railway spurs 1 and 2.
A less satisfactory method is to cut, bale and remove the arisings. This method has the disadvantage that the plants remain in the ground and will re-grow next year, but the advantage that seeding is reduced. This method has been employed in Ring Haw - Sammock's Hill West, Sammock's Hill East and Walden Hill. Other areas that need to be dealt with are Nassington Bottoms Close, Ring Haw Lower Wood Glade and the area between railway spurs 1 and 2.

Various maintenance and ecology tasks are being undertaken by the Trust, and by the Sulehay Volunteer Group, based on the fundamental management principals for the reserve. We are also grateful for the support we receive from the Peterborough Conservation Volunteers (PCV - see 'Contacts and Links' page) who have undertaken scrub clearance and provided help with ragwort control.
This page updated: 14 Aug 2007. Back to top