A Cumbrian conservation champion is retiring from his role after 30 years.
Dave Blackledge, site manager for the RSPB’s Cumbria Coastal nature reserves, will step down today.
Dave’s career with the RSPB has seen him leading on some transformative wins for nature, most notably his work at RSPB Campfield Marsh, near Wigton, and RSPB Hodbarrow, near Millom, designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and an area of Hodbarrow affectionately known by his staff as the Blackledge Archipelago, where he has led on the creation of a now thriving seabird colony.
RSPB Hodbarrow provides an important refuge for breeding terns and wintering wildfowl and waders and is one of the most important tern colonies in the UK.
Working with other organisations, including Natural England and National Landscapes, scientific studies as well as ringing means there is now 30 years of data contributing significantly to understanding and knowledge of UK breeding tern species.
As the UK’s largest conservation charity, the RSPB set itself the challenge 30 years ago of completely transforming the habitats on these two nature reserves and creating the perfect conditions for terns and other native wildlife to thrive.
The Small Blue butterfly was translocated to RSPB Hodbarrow in 2023 and in 2016 the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly recolonised at RSPB Campfield Marsh.
Spoonbills took up residence at RSPB Hodbarrow in 2021, breeding for the first time in Cumbria in 350 years and Marsh Harriers recolonised at RSPB Campfield Marsh in 2023, both species successfully breeding year on year.
Helped by a team of five staff and 20 volunteers, Dave has been instrumental in protecting tern colonies, monitoring rare butterflies, as well as making these nature reserves more accessible for all to enjoy, the RSPB said.
Rare plants such as Marsh Helleborine Orchid and Moonwort, butterflies such as Grayling, Small Blue and Dingy Skipper, and many songbirds, such as Grasshopper Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat are all thriving thanks to the conservation efforts across the RSPB Cumbrian nature reserves.
Also, by removing some of the non-native invasive plants, such as Cotoneaster, native plants, such as Kidney Vetch, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, and Harebells have been helped to thrive.
Dave and his team have also worked tirelessly over the last 30 years to protect the natterjack toad at Hodbarrow, one of the UK’s rarest native amphibians. After an absence from the reserve for many years, these rare creatures began breeding again in 2021. Whilst numbers have declined in the UK, efforts to save them are beginning to reverse this trend.
Now Dave plans to devote his retirement to his other passion, spider recording, as well as hill walking on the Cumbrian fells.
Dave said: “This truly is a hidden gem of Cumbria, and helping to reinvigorate its wildlife, creating a place both visitors and local people can enjoy has been a great honour.
“There’s sadness to going too because the people I work with are such a dedicated team. I’d like to thank all the staff, volunteers and local people and partner organisations who have helped over the years.
“We need to do all we can to conserve this wonderful landscape, creating the right habitats for nature to thrive. Making a difference has been very special but I can now carry on doing this through my passion for spiders!”
David Morris, RSPB Area Manager, Cumbria, said: “Dave has grown RSPB Campfield Marsh into one of the most dynamic wet grassland sites in the country and put Hodbarrow on the map as a nationally important tern colony.
“We are extremely grateful for his contribution to conservation in Cumbria and wish him many happy spider hunts in his retirement!”
Since new islands for the tern colony were created at RSPB Hodbarrow numbers have increased exponentially.
Sandwich Terns have increased from around 350 pairs per year to 700 breeding pairs this summer with a peak of 1950 pairs in 2018. The summer also saw more breeding pairs of Little Terns than ever before – 53 pairs compared with around 25 some 30 years ago. Common Terns are also at their highest numbers ever; 75 breeding pairs this year, as opposed to 25 when conservation work first began and Eider populations have increased from just six pairs to a celebrated 75 pairs this year.
Mhairi Maclauchlan will take up the mantle to be the next site manager. Mhairi said: “Having worked with Dave for the last seven years his enthusiasm and knowledge has inspired me and the team to continue the amazing work.
“We want to build on the successes at all three of the Cumbria Coast Reserves. If you’d have looked at the sites 30 years ago, we would have only dreamed of having Small Blue butterflies, Spoonbills and Marsh Harriers colonising the reserves – who knows what amazing nature we might have breeding in 2025 and beyond!”
