Members of the NatureSpot team recently visited a small post-industrial site which is a haven for wildlife and found some rare and interesting species. More...

The Dog Walk in East Goscote is a wildlife oasis cared for by East Goscote Parish Council. Since the railway sidings became disused in the late 1960s, the site has been allowed to re-wild. Largely left un-managed, the site has naturally re-vegetated to create a mosaic of pioneer species, succession species and scrub. Rabbits graze the grassland and regularly excavate new burrows, while the dog walkers and other visitors to the site disturb the ground through regular footfall - all of which helps to maintain the wildlife interest of the site. The site buzzes with wildlife in the spring and summer when pollinating insects visit to collect nectar from the many different plants, birdsong abounds at this time of year too and the pinks, yellows and greens of flowering plants make it a joy to wander through.

Among the many finds the team made were a rare weevil, Aspidapion aenum, and Dasineura sisymbrii, a rare plant gall. These find indicate the value of such sites for wildlife. As long as they are not over-maintained by the tidy squad, they are great for nature as well as valuable public green spaces.