Five nature reserves designated

FIVE more areas have been put forward for designation by Suffolk County Council as official Local Nature Reserves (LNRs).

They are: Rede Wood at Barham, Lavenham Walk, Melford Walk at Long Melford, Valley Walk at Sudbury and the Rodbridge picnic site, also at Long Melford.

"The move is aimed at raising the profile of the sites for their wildlife interest, help to increase the public's environmental understanding and attract the wider involvement of local people in their management," said Peter Holborn, county council spokesman.

Parts of four of the sites are already designated as County Wildlife Sites and a section of Lavenham Walk is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The proposed new designations are being supported by English Nature, the Government's wildlife watchdog, and members of the county council's executive committee are expected to give the go-ahead when they meet on August 7.

Sudbury Town Council's support for the local NNR is conditional on the designation not adversely affecting the case for a western bypass of the town, an assurance that has now been given.

Rede Wood is a 19-acre semi-natural woodland and pipistrelle bats ands turtle doves have been recorded as the site.

Lavenham Walk is a two-mile long stretch of former railway line which is well used by the public and is particularly important for chalk grassland plant species and for butterflies.

The whole one-mile length of Melford Walk is adjacent to the village's built-up area while Valley Walk at Sudbury, a three-mile linear route from the heart of the town along the Stour Valley, has more than 100 species of plants, grasses and trees.

The Rodbridge Picnic site, in the countryside near Sudbury, extends into Essex and both Essex County Council and Braintree District Council have been consulted. Both authorities support the proposal.

Suffolk County Council has already designated 28 LNRs, encouraged under the National Parks and Countryside Act.

david.green@eadt.co.uk