Back to Home Page
News and Events

Meet in the Development Centre car park or field
Organised by West Central CMS: contact number 01727-848168
Next Events:
Wild Flower Walk
21st June 2008, 10am. Join the Friends of WLNR and CMS on a flora and fauna survey of the reserve.


Past events:
Working Party Saturday 2nd Dec 2006 - 10am-12:30

9th Feb 2007 Working Party Saturday

12th Oct -
StAlbans Boys School Working Party
Thinning Ash trees in Southern Wood.


27th Sept 2006

Working Party  Scrub clearing from most of the triangular area of grass just South of the sheep enclosure. This is home to some impressive ant hills and an area of importance for the grass vetchling flower and small heath butterfly.

OPEN Evening
Tuesday 25th July 7-9:30pm  link to photos
This was a great success. Many families came along and enjoyed the nature reserve: wildlife/bug hunts, guided nature walk, bird ringing demonstration, and displays about the sheep and the reserve's flora and fauna etc. We even found another White-letter Hairstreak butterfly on the reserve.

Sunday 18th June
Flora and fauna survey.
Survey of the reserves flora and fauna. Insect and wild flower identification skills improved.

Sun 26th February 2006 link to photos
Clearing the chalk bank.
Bring along outdoor clothing, strong footwear, some tools if you have them and some work gloves. Other tools,advice and training provided.


Sat 19th November 2005
CMS Scrub management working party.

September 2005. Flock of 19 Shetland rams arrived to maintain the rough grassland habitat and encourage the growth of wild flowers by clearing scrub and other vegetation. They are expected to depart before the first spring flowers germinate in February/March.

Wed 21st Sept 2005. Working party: General maintenance. The triangular meadow was cut and raked, revealing some quite impressive anthills developing in this area.

OPEN DAY Tues 26th July 2005 6-8pm
Wildlife scavenge for families with young children, collecting insects and help with identification. Bird ringing demo and more.
Mark Carter reports: We had an enjoyable open evening with about 50 visitors of all ages coming to take part in a wildlife scavenge hunt and a guided walk. They saw some of the Shetland sheep on show: a very informative bird ringing demonstration; and  an excellent display of butterlies, moths and other insects. A successful evening thanks to the enthusiasm and expertise of all those concerned: especially Barry Trevis and his bird ringing team; Paula Goodlad and family who arrived in the nick of time; and Trevor Chapman who managed to identify everything the wildlife scavengers unearthed.
See some photos of the event
Open day photos

July 2005. Sheep Enclosure erected.

Sunday 8th May 10am-12am Spring monitoring of wild flowers
The different species and locations of wild flowers on the reserve were discovered and recorded, to directly help in the management of the reserve.

Scrub management working parties
16th February 2005. 10am until 3:30pm
CMS Working party. Removed brash, felling some small trees and clearing the chalk bank on the reserve.
5th February 2005. 10am till noon.
CMS Working party.
27th October 2004 10am until 3:30pm.
CMS Working party. Holding back the tide of invasive scrub on some of the grassland areas.