Toft Allotments are a small and unusual wildlife area to the north of Toft. They have been allowed to overgrow and consequently formed an important area of semi-natural habitat. The Cambridge Green Belt Project was invited to visit the site to survey and then make recommendations for future management. The site provides suitable habitat for a range of species including butterflies, invertebrates and birds. The site lies in the middle of intensive arable land where there is little interest making this site an important area of semi- natural habitat. The site has been left for a number of years and has developed a mature habitat with a mix of grassland and scrub. It is under threat of becoming dominated by ranker more vigorous species such as horsetail and bramble. There are a number of species, such as black knapweed and this year 8+ common spotted orchids, which are indicative of an interesting developing grassland. The site overall is relatively small.
The site links to a number of other important habitats through a tree line, down to a dry streambed which then leads to a County Wildlife Site and finally to a SSSI woodland to the north and to the south to a community woodland. The site therefore plays an important role as a landscape feature for wildlife movements across the area and an oasis for wildlife in an otherwise intensively managed arable landscape. The allotments have great potential to develop as a wildlife and amenity area for the residents of Toft. A path has already been mown around the site to allow access through it. This could be extended to include a small picnic area at the entrance of the site for a quiet amenity area.
There is a need to manage all parts of the site to retain current interest and to enhance the site for wildlife. At present there is a real need to control the spread of scrub and horsetail to prevent these from taking over the site resulting in a loss of interest of the developing grassland and lower growing herbs. The aim of management will be to increase botanical and structural diversity by reducing the dominance of coarse competitive species, thereby improving the wildlife and amenity value of the site.
The Cambridge Green Belt Project volunteers visited the site in February of this year to help kick start work at the site. Bramble and scrub were cut back at the south of the site to open up the grassland area. The Volunteers will be back again on 25th August to cut the more open grassland areas and tackle some more bramble. If you would like to join us please meet us on site at 10:00am. We will work until about 3:30pm so please bring a packed lunch!
For further information or details please contact Naomi Brookes, Cambridge Green Belt Project Manager on 01954 713530 or email naomi.brookes@wildlifebcnp.org Further details about the Project and other volunteer opportunities can be found on our website at www.greenbeltproject.org.uk