Tarmac Sustainability Report

The site has been transformed from a working quarry which supplied the sand and gravel used to build the A14, to a vibrant nature reserve for wildlife and local people. The interpretation board explores the history of the site, which has been brought to life by illustrator and designer Mike Hughes, and produced by Metrosigns.

The beautiful nature reserve consists of four lakes which were formerly used as gravel pits. The lakes are interspersed with grassland and ancient hedgerows which provide habitats for a myriad of bird species, including ducks, geese, kingfishers and songbirds. The site is popular with the local community as its 59 hectares of habitats – lakes, grassland, woodland, and hedgerows – mean that people can get close to wildlife, without unduly disturbing it.

Brian Eversham, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trust BCN, said: “We would like to thank Tarmac on many levels. For leasing the site to us, the opportunity to acquire the land and, in a final act of generosity, the funding for the heritage interpretation board. This complements the existing site signage that helps visitors to explore and understand the wildlife that makes their home at Godmanchester nature reserve.”

The Trust bought the site from us in 2015, as Property Estates Manager John Duffield explains: “We have spent 40 years restoring the site and introduced novel biodiversity initiatives well before this approach was commonly accepted. For this, we’ve had the great privilege of winning several awards for its groundbreaking restoration, including one from the European Aggregates Association, of which we are very proud.”