The 36-hectare land is just under a mile east from Buxton on the site of an old quarry and includes a grassland in the quarry floor with rock faces where rare limestone-loving plants can thrive and birds including ravens and peregrines could make future homes. The Trust’s surveys have confirmed ancient woodland on site dating back to at least 1600, which could provide homes for birds such as song thrush and the locally rare plant, the mountain currant. Other plants such as quaking grass, harebell, rock-rose and the melancholy thistle which is rare to Derbyshire are also growing here.
Nestlé Waters is committed to caring for water and regenerating the local water cycles for future generations. Naturally, protecting and regenerating the land at Cowdale, plays a vital part of this work. As rain falls on the land, its limestone bedrock forms part of the natural water filtration system beneath ground. The extended partnership with the Trust will ensure the land is cared for in a chemical-free manner and adopts a wilder management approach. Nestlé Waters’ vision is to increase species diversity, allow common and rare species to flourish as well as enable the regeneration of existing habitats and the creation of new ones.
Kate Bradshaw, Living Landscapes Officer for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said: “This beautiful and peaceful place has huge potential for wildlife and we’re honoured that Nestlé Waters have asked us to care for it. It is an exciting opportunity to create a haven for different wildlife, across woodland and grassland and improve flowering meadows as well as wetland areas. Using what we know from looking after other reserves in the Wye Valley and across Derbyshire, we should see an increase in the range and numbers of birds, animals and plants found here over the coming years.”
Hayley Lloyd House, Head of Sustainability at Nestlé Waters UK said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, to manage our land at Cowdale and Lightwood. Working with their team of experts has helped us to understand the ecological environment around our water sources and develop regenerative land management plans. These are long term plans to help protect and regenerate nature on site for years to come, creating places where wildlife can thrive and in turn, nature will continue to inspire local people in the community.
“By doing the right thing above ground, we are also helping to protect what’s underground; the purity of one of the planet’s most precious and greatest assets, water.”
The Trust will begin work this year and start by spreading native meadow seed to create a mosaic of flower rich grassland, wood pasture and scrub across the quarry floor. This will improve the site not only for plants but for a range of insects and birds and new wetland areas will encourage insects and wetland loving wildlife including frogs, toads and newts.
