Welcome to the Chelmer Blackwater Reserve website.
This land has been saved from development and our non-profit community interest company (the Chelmer Blackwater Reserve CIC) has been established to manage and develop it as a Community Nature Reserve.
The site, known locally as the Ironworks Meadow, has historical significance to Maldon and parts have been undisturbed for decades, making it a perfect location for the creation of a nature reserve. A great variety of species of birds, mammals, and reptiles frequent the site, as well as a very wide range of invertebrates. The site comprises several distinct habitats, including reedbed, water courses, open grassland, scrub, a woodland strip and a borrowdyke, all with their own unique wildlife.
Since our takeover of the site, we have been busy installing accessible pathways and managing the various habitats. We have a number of future projects planned for the site over the coming years aimed at further habitat improvement and increasing opportunities for visiting parties such as enabling pond dipping to be undertaken. As we are totally reliant on voluntary support and donations we are always on the lookout for assistance, whether it is help with our work parties, help with management roles or financial support from both businesses and individuals.
The best way to keep updated as to latest news and help needed is to become a shareholder for a nominal sum. See the ‘Donations and Shareholding’ page for more details.
Note we are happy to provide public access to the site and use of the various footpaths but would ask all visitors to act responsibly and to follow any specific requests, in particular to keep dogs on leads when walking along bseide the main grassland areas.
Thank you for visiting our page.
We also operate a Facebook page at: The Chelmer and Blackwater Reserve Preservation Group | Notifications | Facebook
How to get to our reserve: Directions to Ironworks Meadow
