Natural England have been granted funding to carry out restoration work at Little Hawes Water in the Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve. During the works, some footpath closures will be in operation for safety reasons. You can find alternative routes on the map provided.

If you wish to find out more or discuss the work with the team, they are holding a drop in session on Saturday 3 February between 10am and 1pm in the Green Room of the Gaskell Memorial Hall, Silverdale.

The aim of the project is to restore two rare priority habitats (marl grassland and alkaline fen) which provide homes for rare plants such as bird’s-eye primrose and fragrant orchid. It will also reconnect the grasslands and fen on the lake edge to the adjacent grazed pastures.

In order to deliver these changes, the following work is planned:

• Adding a sluice to the ditch that flows into Hawes Water from Little Hawes Water to bring the water level in the Little Hawes Water basin back to its natural levels, and to increase the amount of alkaline fen surrounding it
• Selective thinning of a 90-100 year old beech plantation (taking out around half of the beech trees) – to enable a priority habitat (marl) to be restored, and allowing more light through to encourage growth of native flora.
  Natural England has a Forestry Commission Felling Licence in place for the proposed work. This will also restore the views of Hawes Water from the pastures to the north and east.
• Removal of the existing boardwalk which has become damaged since it was originally installed and replacement with an improved boardwalk offering better access to wheelchairs and trampers

For more detail, see the Natural England project overview and the map of planned work.