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Friday 7 Jun 2013

Network Rail improves habitats for slow worms at Beeston Sidings Nature Reserve

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Network Rail has been helping to improve habitats for slow worms in Beeston as part of a project to upgrade the railway in and around Nottingham. Working in conjunction with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust at Beeston Sidings Nature Reserve, which neighbours the track, staff from Network Rail and the project team have volunteered to improve the habitat for slow worms on the site.

The Network Rail Nottingham Station Area Re-signaling Project is currently carrying out re-signaling works in and around the Nottingham area. This environmental initiative close to the tracks was an ideal opportunity to recycle materials giving slow worms a new place to live.

Slow worms are one of the UK’s native reptiles and due to their depleting numbers are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The works carried out at the nature reserve include the clearance of scrub in early March this year to create an open area. In May the project created a basking platform – made from old concrete sleepers that were stacked on top of each other. The suns heat will warm the sleepers and retain the heat throughout the day – creating a safe, warm environment for the reptiles. The project team also carried out a litter pick at the site and removed over twenty sacks of litter.

The team consisted of Network Rail staff along with staff and resources supplied by the project’s contractors – Signaling Solutions, Progress Rail, WS Civil Engineering and Aspin Foundations.

Val Stephenson, Network Rail scheme project manager said “Network Rail is committed to helping the communities we serve. This project allowed us to help improve the habitat for one of our smallest lineside neighbours, the slow worms. I’d like to thank all the staff who helped on the project for their hard work.”

Chris Kennedy, Southern Reserves Officer at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said ”A massive thank you to Network Rail for helping in improve the habitat at Beeston Sidings. The improvements will make a real difference to slow worms, which like to make use of structures like railway sleepers which heat up quickly, and provide a stable living residence.”