IF you were tempted to visit Gunnerton Nick in the North Tyne valley, one of the summer walk locations in Issue 79 of The Northumbrian, then please don't! Duncan Hutt of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust explains: “The site was a Trust nature reserve for years - but we have never been able to offer open access. More importantly, however, since last month it has no longer been part-managed by the Trust.
“The decision to pull out was not taken lightly, but it was not possible to come up with an agreement which allowed the Trust to guarantee that the grazing was managed to its requirements. Gunnerton Nick is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and English Nature will be working with the owner to ensure proper management of the area.
“Following a careful review of our entire reserves holding, a number of other sites have - or will shortly have - ceased to be managed by the Trust. In most cases we are passing control back to the owner who can ensure sympathetic management for the future.”
Examples given by Mr Hutt include Rothley Lake, which will revert to being managed by the National Trust; Throckley Pond (The Reigh), which will be owned and managed by Newcastle City Council as part of its Newburn Riverside Country Park; and Swallow Pond, which is being managed by the Rising Sun Country Park Trust.
Passing these sites back to alternative owners/managers will normally ensure continued access and will also free up Trust time and resources to concentrate on other sites, such as the recently-acquired East Chevington site. The limited agreement the Trust had at Cocklawburn Dunes will also cease in the autumn.
Anyone requiring more information about the Trust reserves should telephone (0191) 284 6884. •