About the reserve

Aldred’s Lea nature reserve is located in the Peak District, around 800 metres from our Greenbooth nature reserve as the crow flies. The site is 12 hectares in size consisting mainly of upland grazing pasture, previously farmed in separate fields and subdivided by internal stone walls, but now farmed and grazed as one. There are some wetter areas dominated by soft rush and pockets of scattered, self-seeded hawthorns on the sloping banks. The southern edge of the sight features a mosaic of gorse scrub. 

Aldred’s Lea is one of latest additions to our growing network of nature reserves, and part of our ongoing mission to protect more land for wildlife. It builds on the momentum of our 60th anniversary in 2022, when we set an ambitious goal to secure at least 100 acres of new land for nature. We’ve since surpassed that target, bringing a total of 111 acres into our care across three reserves: Aldred’s Lea, Greenbooth, and Picton Pastures. 

Owning this land means we can ensure its managed with nature in mind, protected from the pressures of development or intensive agriculture. 

Over the next five years, we will restore the land to create a diverse mix of wildlife habitats, including: 

• Enhancement of acid grassland
• 8ha of low density woodland planting to create a mosaic of gorse scrub and upland woodland 

These changes will bring real benefits for nature: 

• Botanical diversity will increase across the site, in turn benefitting pollinators.
• An increase in tree cover will give direct benefits to those species reliant on trees in the landscape & will also contribute to slowing the flow of water entering into Todd Brook.
• Acquiring this site gives us another important ‘stepping stone’ in the Pennine Fringe Living Landscape, helping to connect up land we already manage and work on through projects like Pollinating Cheshire and the Curlew Recovery Project. 

Part of a bigger vison for nature 
In 2022, as part of our 60th anniversary celebrations, we set an ambitious goal: to secure 100 acres of new land for nature. That milestone has since been surpassed, with the acquisition of three new nature reserves - Picton Pastures, Greenbooth and Aldred's Lea - totalling 111 acres of land now safeguarded for wildlife.