Calling all birdwatchers and wildlife lovers, get those wellies on and your binoculars ready. England's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has just purchased land to expand its nature reserve at RSPB Geltsdale to create a ‘Pennines paradise’.
That’s right, RSPB has got its hands on the final remaining third of Geltsdale, meaning the nature reserve there has grown to cover a whopping 5,500 hectares and has become RSPB’s biggest bird sanctuary in England. On top of that there’s a multi-million five-year plan to restore it to tip-top shape.
Ian Ryding, RSPB Geltsdale’s reserve manager, said: ‘We want to create a landscape that sings with life. From the bright carpets of wildflowers in the hay meadows to the gentle ripple of restored wetlands teeming with insects and birdlife, this vision is about bringing back the sounds, sights, and vitality of England’s truly wild Pennines.’
Plans for the restoration include revitalising moorlands and peatlands, expanding and regenerating woodlands by planting thousands of more trees, restoring wetlands, creating wildflower hay meadows, continuing to wildlife species and instil more fenceless grazing – all while combatting climate change.
David Morris, RSPB’s area manager, said: ‘This work isn’t just about protecting wildlife – it’s about creating a more resilient landscape.
‘Restored peatlands will lock away carbon, wetlands will reduce downstream flooding, and vibrant habitats will support species at every level of the food chain, from invertebrates to apex predators.’
Species benefiting from this geographical glow-up include curlews, willow warblers, red squirrels, black grouse and more. Water voles are also planned to be reintroduced to the land and there’s even talk about the hopeful return of ospreys nesting on the reserve and golden eagles flying high above it.
Rydling added: ‘It will be such a thrill to see the amazing golden eagle re-colonising England in the near future. The pinnacle of success for me would be seeing them soaring across the moorlands of Geltsdale. We've already achieved so much over the last thirty years, but now, with the purchase of the remaining land, we can do so much more.’
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