Work to attract more people to a local nature reserve in Bradford has started

Work to attract more wildlife and visitors to a local nature reserve has begun with the help of a community group.

Bingley North Bog is a 10,000-year-old site that is part of the Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve.

It is considered one of the district’s most important natural sites.

This month, the Dawoodi Bohra community partnered with Bradford Council’s Countryside Service and the Aire Rivers Trust to launch a major restoration project at the bog that will also open the site up to more visitors and see more than 1,000 trees planted.

Funded entirely through Project Rise, the Dawoodi Bohra community’s global philanthropic initiative, the project will help protect the habitat, mitigate flood risk, increase biodiversity, and improve public access to the reserve.

The restoration programme began last week with the removal of invasive species and groundwork for new walking paths.

Upcoming work will include:

Re-meandering of a beck to reduce flooding

Planting of 1,000 native trees to create a new hedgerow and improve biodiversity

Installation of a wildlife observation screen

Sustained community engagement and volunteer programmes to foster local participation

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “It’s great to see that this project is progressing and a plan is in place for how it will move forward.

“The project will help Bingley North Bog continue to be a great natural asset and haven for nature.

“Thank you to the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community for their generous donation which has made this all possible.”

Raj Cochin, speaking on behalf of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Bradford, said: “Conservation is a fundamental part of who we are.

Recognising the remarkable capacity of mangroves in carbon sequestration, our communities in coastal regions have, in the last few years, made strides to restore depleting mangrove forests.

“One of the reasons we have chosen to support the restoration of Bingley North Bog is that peatlands are the largest natural carbon store on land and help mitigate climate change.”

Rachel Forsyth, CEO of the Aire Rivers Trust, added: “Projects like this show what is possible when we work together. We are proud to partner with Bradford Council and the Dawoodi Bohra community to restore this vital habitat for both wildlife and people.”

Located between the A650 and Five Rise Locks, Bingley North Bog is a remnant of a 10,000-year-old glacier, a peat bog and wetland that serves as a crucial habitat for a diverse range of wildlife.

The area is a sanctuary for birds such as curlews, kingfishers, and herons, as well as insects like dragonflies and bats, and is a vital carbon store helping to combat climate change.