The future of three East Durham beauty spots has been secured after the sites were given protected status.
Gore Burn in Wheatley Hill, Rockhouse Dene in Seaham and Crimdon Dene, have been designated as Local Nature Reserves (LNR) by District of Easington Council.
The move protects the council-owned land against development but also increases opportunities for study, research and nature conservation at the sites.
Gary Shears, Countryside Officer, said: “Formal declaration of these areas as LNRs commits the council to managing the land as a nature reserve and protecting it from inappropriate use. It also gives us greater scope for attracting investment.
“All three sites provide extensive opportunities for community volunteering and school educational events and investment could help us further improve public access, conserve the natural environment and attract new wildlife.”
The three sites are the first areas of district council-owned land in East Durham to be officially named as nature reserves.
Gore Burn includes woodlands, grazing fields and about one mile of watercourse, however, access is currently limited to a single footpath and a section of reclaimed mineral line known as the Miner’s Heritage Trail.
Part of the site is currently being transformed into an outdoor education area for local schoolchildren, while a grant of £48,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund is already being used to boost the resident population of water voles and provide better public access.
Although located in the centre of Seaham, the steep-sided Rockhouse Dene offers a mixture of woodland, grassland and streamside wildlife habitats. It offers significant potential for educational and recreational use within easy reach of residential areas.
Crimdon Dene, meanwhile, is a large site containing ancient semi-natural woodlands, recreational grasslands and part of the Crimdon Burn stream.
The move to name the sites as LNRs has been backed by Natural England.
News article created on the 09 April 2008