Our nature reserves contain priority habitats and species from both the national and local Biodiversity Action Plans and Sheffield Wildlife Trust has worked tirelessly over the past few years to bring them into good conversation management. As well as delivering an ongoing programme of maintenance work the Trust works to engage the local community in accessing, enjoying and understanding the wildlife found on these reserves. Access to green and wild places is recognized as providing important benefits to individual health and wellbeing. These sites are also used for a number of education and youth projects, opening children and young people’s eyes to the wonders of nature and the world around them. A few of our nature reserves…… Blacka Moor For decades the moor has been declining as the bracken and birch take over the beautiful heather moors, once this happens, the heather is lost forever. This is due to lack of management and grazing animals. Sheffield Wildlife Trust (SWT) intends to take a firm stand on bracken, and reduce its cover before it swamps the purple heather and the abundant bilberry bushes that are enjoyed by Sheffield people. The birch is spreading across the moors too, and grasses are starting to smother finer sedges and flowers. As a way to tackle this, SWT has introduced 10 Highland cows to browse birch saplings and prevent loss of the heathland, as well as to open niches for flowers and sedges through their trampling. However, the cattle can't tackle all of it on their own, and people and tools and needed to remove some birch by hand. Moss Valley These beautiful and hidden bluebell woods are wonderful in May. Whilst the woods are good for wildlife, edges of these woods are bordered by farmland, trees and shrubs have suffered from damage from ploughing and pesticides. The farmland is now managed more sensitively, but many woodland edge shrubs need replacing or coppicing, and glades needed in the woods for butterflies in particular. In the middle is an ancient wood pasture, where bracken threatens to dominate the wildflowers and grasses. Conserving this wood pasture is vital with bracken cutting each year. Carr House Meadows These ancient hay meadows are full of wildflowers including orchids. However, thistles and ragwort threaten some of the valuable meadows and work is needed to control their spread and conserve the variety of flowers there. It costs over £150,000 every year to maintain this work, every penny is put to good use.