Our Coast, Our Sea - Gorsebusters

11 March 2011

A group of six staff from Npower took a break from the office recently to help Northumberland Wildlife Trust conserve a rare whin grassland site adjacent to Bamburgh Golf Course.

The staff spent a day cutting and clearing gorse and scrub from the site which was impeding the growth of very rare whin grass. A total of 100 sq metres of gorse was cleared by the staff – no mean feat given the spiny nature of the gorse.

Five years ago the wildlife charity surveyed the rare whin grassland which is only found in Northumberland and limited to areas along the Great Whin Sill. A number of historical sites including Hadrian’s Wall and the coastal castles of Bamburgh and Holy Island are also situated on the whin sill.

The results of the survey were quite alarming. A number of the sites which were originally surveyed in 1980 have completely disappeared and those that remain are under imminent threat from scrub, neglect or over grazing.

John Thompson, Conservation Officer with Northumberland Wildlife Trust who liberated the staff from their offices said: “The staff had a great time and, judging by the feedback I have received, they are defiantly up for another day out later in the year. I think they were really pleased when they realised just how important their efforts were to helping to preserve this rare grassland for future generations to enjoy.”