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Our Roving Correspondent
YORKSHIRE POST (Leeds, UK) 06 October 09 Rare newts take up residence after reservoir improvements (Jeni Harvey)
A rare species of newt not usually found in Yorkshire has set up home near Langsett Reservoir, between Sheffield and *****tone.
Yorkshire Water has been carrying out various improvements around the reservoir site in a bid to maintain and enhance the area's population of amphibious and invertebrate species.
As a result, dozens of palmate newts, which were not previously found in the area, have begun living in four newly-created ponds.
The newts, which are so called because the appearance of their feet is said to resemble the palm of a hand, are very fast breeders, so the population is likely to grow very rapidly over the coming years.
Alastair Harvey, countryside and recreation manager at Yorkshire Water, said: "Langsett is a particularly important site for its rich woodland and, over the last few years, we've invested a significant amount of money and effort into managing the habitat in an attempt to create the ideal environment for a huge number of flora and fauna to thrive.
"While we've always had a good population of other amphibious species such as frogs and toads, the work we carried out creating four new ponds seems to have really paid off, with palmate newts becoming the latest species to give it the thumbs up."
In addition to the newts, the site is also home to other invertebrate species such as craneflies and dragonflies, which thrive due to the mixture of woodland and water habitat.
Almost £400,000 has been spent by Yorkshire Water on improvements at Langsett, which have included an improved car park, a new bridle way and cycle route, a path for wheelchairs and pushchairs, a boot and cycle wash, new picnic tables and improved signage
Views across the water have also been opened up to make the area more visually appealing for walkers and cyclists.
In the woodland, which was planted around the reservoir to provide timber for pit props in the Second World War, wildlife is now encouraged by allowing fallen trees to rot and provide a good habitat for insects, birds and fungi.
A series of walks around Langsett has also been established and the route descriptions are available on podcasts which can be downloaded from Yorkshire Water's recreation website.
Rare newts take up residence after reservoir improvements - Yorkshire Post
A rare species of newt not usually found in Yorkshire has set up home near Langsett Reservoir, between Sheffield and *****tone.
Yorkshire Water has been carrying out various improvements around the reservoir site in a bid to maintain and enhance the area's population of amphibious and invertebrate species.
As a result, dozens of palmate newts, which were not previously found in the area, have begun living in four newly-created ponds.
The newts, which are so called because the appearance of their feet is said to resemble the palm of a hand, are very fast breeders, so the population is likely to grow very rapidly over the coming years.
Alastair Harvey, countryside and recreation manager at Yorkshire Water, said: "Langsett is a particularly important site for its rich woodland and, over the last few years, we've invested a significant amount of money and effort into managing the habitat in an attempt to create the ideal environment for a huge number of flora and fauna to thrive.
"While we've always had a good population of other amphibious species such as frogs and toads, the work we carried out creating four new ponds seems to have really paid off, with palmate newts becoming the latest species to give it the thumbs up."
In addition to the newts, the site is also home to other invertebrate species such as craneflies and dragonflies, which thrive due to the mixture of woodland and water habitat.
Almost £400,000 has been spent by Yorkshire Water on improvements at Langsett, which have included an improved car park, a new bridle way and cycle route, a path for wheelchairs and pushchairs, a boot and cycle wash, new picnic tables and improved signage
Views across the water have also been opened up to make the area more visually appealing for walkers and cyclists.
In the woodland, which was planted around the reservoir to provide timber for pit props in the Second World War, wildlife is now encouraged by allowing fallen trees to rot and provide a good habitat for insects, birds and fungi.
A series of walks around Langsett has also been established and the route descriptions are available on podcasts which can be downloaded from Yorkshire Water's recreation website.
Rare newts take up residence after reservoir improvements - Yorkshire Post
