Time travel 70 years of National Nature Reserves

For 70 years, we have had the pleasure of seeing wildlife protected in its natural environment, thanks to the establishment of National Nature Reserves.

Selected for their rare habitats, species and geology, these carefully managed sites provide outdoor laboratories for research into resilience landscapes rich in wildlife. They also give the public access to the countryside, enabling them to experience it first-hand and learn about conservation.

Sites range from ferny woodlands, ancient grasslands and heaths to wetlands, wild coasts and moorlands.

Before the NNR’S establishment, access to areas of open countryside had been restricted. The “mass trespass of Kinder Scout’ in 1932 – a coordinated protest involving three groups of walkers who simultaneously approached the highest point in the Peak District from different directions – is seen by some as highlighting the issue of access and paving the way for legislation.

The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 established National Nature Reserves.

Around 17 million visits are made to NNRS each year. Some are of historical significance, such as the Sweet Trail in Shapwick Heath that is over 6,000 years old and was built by the first farming communities. Others also have great British cultural significance, such as Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire.

In 1981, new legislation enabled organisations other than the Government to manage NNRS and there are now 60 partner organisations, including National Trust, Wildlife Trusts and RSPB.

Marian Spain, chief executive of Natural England, said: “National Nature Reserves are central to the future of nature recovery in this country.”

To celebrate its milestone anniversary, a summer-long festival of local events is being held, featuring guided nature walks, rock-pooling, bird-watching and nature bingo. Nnrfestival.co.uk