Geograph - photograph every grid square

Most of the site was originally farmland, on the floodplain of the River Ribble. It was bordered by woodland on the slopes to the north, and by the river to the east and south. The M6 motorway was opened in 1958.
Sand and gravel was quarried east of the M6 from 1996 to 2007, when the activity transferred to the west of the M6 (Lower Brockholes).
The site was bought by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in 2007.
The gravel pits have been modified to improve the habitat for wildlife, and enable water levels to be controlled. The creation of wildflower meadows, reedbeds and woodland continues.
The reserve opened to the public at Easter 2011, after the floating visitor village had been completed.
See Link .

Brockholes is a nature reserve near Preston, just off Junction 31 of the M6 motorway. It is owned by the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

Situated in the flood-plain of the river Ribble, Brockholes contains one of the largest strips of ancient woodland in the UK, a species-rich hay meadow, large wetland areas and the beautiful River Ribble running along the edge of the site. Which was previously a major quarry extraction site. Sand and gravel were quarried here from 1996 until 2007 when the land was bought by the Trust. Since then, it has been regenerated as a mosaic of key habitats such as pools, reedbeds and woodland; the reserve opened to the public at Easter 2011.

The reserve is aimed less at dedicated bird-watchers and nature lovers than the general public of the big cities.

Link documents the development of the land from a huge quarrying site to the nature reserve.