Bradford Urban Wildlife Group
Bradford Urban Wildlife Group
recording, observing and protecting Bradford wildlife & habitats
Denso Marston Nature Reserve
The company, Denso Marston,
asked for permission
to extend its factory.
One of the requirements agreed between the company and the planning committee was that the company should build and support a nature reserve on land between the factory and the River Aire.
The company has honoured the spirit and the letter of the requirement, first in the construction of the reserve, and secondly by employing a warden.
Recently more resource has been put into the reserve in the form of a classroom, toilets, and in extra hours for the warden.
What is there?
The Denso Marston Nature Reserve was built in 1991-92 on 7 acres (3 hectares) of the washland area between the factory and the river.
The reserve has been designed and developed to provide as great a diversity of habitat as possible in a small area. It is managed with great care by the warden and a band of volunteers.
The river and canal, and Buck Wood, are close to the reserve and provide further habitats, and a wildlife corridor, further increasing biodiversity on the reserve.
water: kingfishers breed locally, and can be seen, usually as
flashes of blue iridescence flying away, but occasionally
perched on branches over the water.
fish, sometimes huge shoals of minnows, moving along the river.
dragonflies and damselflies are usually seen around the
ponds, their nymphs can be spotted by pond -dipping
woodland: a well frequented, screened, bird feeding area
What else is there?
A regular programme of events is run at the reserve, supported by a band of “Friends”
I would go again to see…..
and use the brilliant family pond-dipping area
Where is it?
The reserve is just outside Shipley, off the A6038 Otley Road.
Getting there.
By bus
The 737 travels between Bradford & Harrogate via Shipley. It stops on the A6038 Otley Road just a short walk (300m) from the reserve. Services are hourly through the day.
By train
The nearest rail station is Baildon, a 500m walk from the reserve.
By car
There is limited free parking in
a lay-by next to...
...the white wooden Church of St. James.
Post-code: BD17 7PY
CROSS THE ROAD WITH CARE
and follow the footpath down to the riverbank.
A gate marks the entrance to the reserve.