News Item (30-04-2009)

One of the World's rarest species of newt is being given a life line in Cambridgeshire.

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough has managed to secure a £35,500 grant which will help increase the number of great crested newts in the county.

The grant was awarded by Biffaward, a multi-million pound environment fund which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. The grant has kick started The Creatures of the Night project  (so named because the newts are most active at night when the males perform their intimate courtship dance) and it will be launched on Thursday 30 April at 11am on Upwood Meadows Nature Reserve near Upwood, Huntingdon.

The award, which includes £1,000 from The Herpetological Conservation Trust, £750 from The Mitchell Trust and £1,798 from The Friends of the Wildlife Trust, will enable the Wildlife Trust to restore and conserve the habitat for great crested newts at eight of its most beautiful nature reserves across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.  Brampton Wood, near Brampton; Lady's Wood and Upwood Meadows, near Upwood; Lattersey, near Whittlesey; Norwood Road, in March; Ramsey Heights, near Ramsey; and Stanground Newt Ponds and Woodston Ponds, both in Peterborough.

Keith Sisman

Britain is the most important country in the World for great crested newts. The animals need a very special habitat - ponds with just the right amount of light and plant life, and no fish!   These ponds have become increasingly rare in recent years, the reason why the newts have suffered such a dramatic loss.  The funds from the grant will be used to improve the landscape around existing ponds, improve the ponds themselves and for survey work which will be carried out at night.

Matt Hamilton, the Wildlife Trust's Deputy Reserves Manager for West Cambridgeshire & Peterborough said, "Great crested newts are coming under increasing pressure across the country as their habitats are threatened by development and modern agricultural practices. This project will monitor and safeguard newt colonies in a wide range of ponds across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Thanks to Biffaward's generous funding, we will therefore be able to ensure that these precious creatures can look forward to a secure future on our nature reserves."

Gillian French, Biffaward Programme Manager, said: "Biffaward is keen to support projects which support and enhance biodiversity. Biffaward recognises that it is vital to conserve these nationally important wildlife sites, and will support the project as it goes forward."

Keith Sisman