Looking back at 2023: A historic year for nature in Cumbria

From red squirrels to ospreys - it was a big year for nature in Cumbria in 2022.

It was a turbulent year for seal pups and a momentous moment for Allonby Bay who were granted gold star protection status.

It was also a big year for Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

"This year alone, we've planted something like 70,000 seedlings, and it's sort of spurred people on to do greater things because we're doing a great job for the county and for the planet.

"So you know what's not to love about that," said Linda O'Hare from Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

At the men's shed at Gosling Sike Nature Reserve near Carlisle, they've built insect hotels and swift boxes.

Adam McGinley, manager at the site, said: "So it gives them a really good physical activity to do as well as being in a good setting there which is really good for their health and wellbeing.

"They can meet some new people and get involved in nature."

It has never been more important to champion wildlife, according to experts.

Steve Trotte, CEO, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "Back in August and September, we had the findings of a new report called The State of Nature, which said that we're losing wildlife and we need to really start to work hard to pull it back.

"We've taken extra steps to try and protect some of the breeding areas, so many of the birds nest on the ground, so they're highly vulnerable to disturbance and to things like dogs and from predators like foxes.

"And so we've had our best year ever for little terns; Arctic terns have been breeding really well this year."

But it was a rocky start for the seal colony, with the death of some adults and pups.

"When the boats get too close, then basically the risk is that the mothers get split up from the pups," continued Steve.

"And we think that's what may have happened on this occasion."

Some of the boat operators did take action, meaning a good year for the colony overall.

"Yeah, you know, this is the only great seal breeding colony in the whole of the north west of England," explained Steve.

"So they're really special and we want them to continue to do okay and expand. The other really exciting thing was that this was the 10th year of Ospreys breeding down at Foulshaw Moss, down near Kendal.

"We're now up to 27 chicks over 10 years, which is amazing. Lots of people ring them; we monitor them very closely.

"We have cameras on the nests and we follow them as they migrate down to the west coast of Africa in the winter. And it just goes to show that we can put wildlife back into the missing parts of Cumbria where we've lost it."

Also benefitting from conservation efforts last year were red squirrels. "So we've also been doing a really good project with red squirrels this year," continued Steve.

"So we've been employing a red squirrel ranger working in the central lakes.

"Red squirrels are facing really big threats from disease and from grey squirrels. So we're really starting to try and get to grips along with a lot of the volunteer groups looking after this iconic species that Cumbria is so famous for.

"Added to that, you can now go down into Kendal, for example, and see otters playing regularly down in the River Kent.

"We've had the fantastic news that Allonby Bay has been allocated as a Highly Protected Marine Area.

"This is one of the first of these kind of sites in the country and it means the amazing underwater wildlife that we've got there, things like reefs and lots of rare species like cuttlefish, species like bass and thornback rays, which the area - the Solway - is really fantastic for, can really thrive now.

"But we were disappointed: we were hoping that five were going to be designated, but we look forward to the Government designating more in the future when they see the success of Allonby Bay."

However, the challenges of ash dieback have continued, but are also bringing some opportunities.

"We're now seeing large areas of ash woodlands dying back, so it's going to really change the fundamental character of much of the Cumbrian landscape," continued Steve.

"We have no choice really, but to fell them. For example, down at Smardale, we've been making sure that we get lots more trees like hazel - great for red squirrels because of their nuts.

"So it's an opportunity to diversify our woodlands and to create something that's better than, you know, perhaps it has been for wildlife like squirrels and bats."Climate change and the weather are also having an impact, Steve says.

"It's all species, but insects because they have maybe two or three generations every summer. If it's just a bit too hot at certain times of year, you can very quickly either see a drop in their numbers or they very quickly expand.

"Some dragonflies around the county, they're really increasing and spreading. One of the bees that's doing quite well, is something called a tree bumblebee, which is new to the UK.

"It's only been in the UK since about 2000. It's now spread all the way from the south coast to Cumbria. But others, for example, there's a wonderful bird called The Twite, which we sadly have now lost in Cumbria."

It could be a big year for nature."The biggest area of interest is going to be the election," explained Steve.

"There's a real opportunity to remind our politicians to clean up our rivers and our beaches and our lakes to take action on wildlife, and we can then start to address the climate emergency."

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