A film commissioned to mark the 40th anniversary of the Sandscale Haws reserve near Barrow coming under the National Trust’s care has been released as fears about possible nearby development continue. Shot by Kendal-based film-maker Dom Bush, the film highlights the reserve and focuses on what it means to the people who visit and care for it and the nature that calls it home.
“Not many places can host such an array of scarce wildlife yet be a green space where people can breathe and see nature up close,” Nancy Burditt, senior programming and partnerships officer for the National Trust in South East Cumbria and Morecambe Bay, said: “Our anniversary film will be a legacy to Sandscale. It will capture what makes it such a special place for visitors but also such a crucial habitat for the wildlife that calls it home.”
The reserve is home to internationally significant wildlife, including some of the rarest and most protected species in the UK. Natterjack toads are just one of these increasingly threatened species; one quarter of the national population of this rare species make their home here. Migratory bird populations of international importance can be seen at Sandscale Haws, including Pintail, Red Knot and Common Redshank.
“This year marks 40 years under our care and throughout that period we’ve seen significant change; from tides and storms reshaping the frontal dunes, changes to the way visitors use the site and of course the thousands of hours our rangers and volunteers have spent working on site,” Sam Stalker, lead ranger for the National Trust in South East Cumbria and Morecambe Bay, said.
“Forty years of clearing scrub in the winter to keep the sand dunes open and keeping pools wet for natterjacks to spawn, monitoring plants, flowers, fungi, birds and invertebrates which make this unique place their home.”
The sandy estuary of the River Duddon, with its wild, grass-covered dunes and panoramic views of the Lakeland fells, is a much-loved local gem for residents in Barrow and Askham. Dedicated rangers and volunteers work year-round to keep the rugged landscape a happy home for wildflowers and wildlife.
Sandscale Haws has come under threat from development in recent years. Along with a coalition of other nature and landscape charities, including Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Woodland Trust, Friends of the Lake District, RSPB and Amphibian Reptile Conservation, the National Trust objected on the grounds that any development would pose a serious threat to the internationally significant nature reserve.
The charities fear the proposals for Roanhead Farm, near Askam-in-Furness, will be a serious threat to the internationally significant nature reserve at Sandscale Haws and the wider Morecambe Bay and Duddon estuary.
“We want to ensure that local people can continue to enjoy this special place, balancing our conservation work to safeguard a very sensitive ecosystem whilst providing a warm welcome,” Dan Taylor, general manager of the National Trust in South East Cumbria and Morecambe Bay, said. “We are concerned that the scale of recent development proposals would risk irreparable harm to the fragile wildlife habitat.”
The film will echo this sentiment, exploring the need to protect the reserve for generations to come.
A programme of screenings will be shown at Roxy Cinema in Ulverston from November 15 to November 22, every evening before the feature film. The film will also be shown at Kendal Mountain Festival , which takes place from November 21 to November 24.
