Today is World Sand Dune Day and four decades of conservation action by volunteers and a charity in South Cumbria is being celebrated.
Sandscale Haws on the Duddon Estuary is a National Nature Reserve and under the care of the National Trust. Its sand dunes and wetlands support a wealth of wildlife, including birds, rare wildflowers, butterflies and insects and 25% of one of the UK’s most protected and vocal amphibians – the natterjack toad.
And thanks to innovative and species-saving conservation work by the charity many rare pioneer plants on the brink of extinction, survive there, said area ranger Darren Mason.
Darren said: “Along with our incredible volunteers, we’ve been looking after this place for 40 years. That’s 40 years of seeing the tide and storms bashing at the frontal dunes and completely changing the dynamic of the beach and dunes.
“It’s 40 years of clearing scrub in the winter to keep the sand dunes open. And 40 years of keeping pools wet for natterjacks to spawn, monitoring plants, flowers, fungi, birds and invertebrates which make this unique place their home. It’s also 40 years of balancing the role of welcoming people in to enjoy this special place while making sure that wildlife doesn’t lose its special place.
“Sandscale Haws is a very tranquil place and a hidden gem. Locals come once or twice a day, often for dog-walking, families visit in the summer looking for shrimps, peeler crabs and young flounder fish. We also get nature lovers coming some distance to see the coralroot orchid, or the red listed Dune helleborine, or for spectacular bird watching and to hear our very noisy natterjack toads.
“With the impacts of climate change starting to be felt, places like Sandscale Haws are even more important.
“Both for protecting critical infrastructure such as the railway line, and prime agricultural land against flooding and as vital homes for nature. It makes our work here very rewarding and worthwhile.”
To celebrate the anniversary of the National Trust looking after Sandscale Haws, and alongside the usual events, a film is being produced, which will be shown at the end of the year.
