The MOSAIC Trust was established in 2000 to manage and maintain the 70 acre former sand quarry when Hanson Aggregates donated the land for community use as a leisure facility. It is used regularly by the adjacent field study centre (Austerfield Study Centre) as an educational resource enabling around 6,000 children annually to learn and care about the natural environment through first hand experiences.
The MOSAIC Reserve was so named because of its unique mixture (mosaic) of habitats, including well established coniferous and deciduous woodland, young tree scrub, open sandy heathland and ponds. The variety of habitats encourages biodiversity and it is this that the trust seeks to maintain with minimum interference with nature. The impact of human use and natural regeneration is uppermost in our thoughts when we organise our monthly conservation volunteer meetings with tasks varying from path and pond clearing to hedge laying.
Surveys, beginning in 1993, show that many new species have established themselves over the years and our most recent survey in 2012 continues to amaze us how well nature can re-establish itself after quarrying. A section from west to east shows the process of regeneration from established woodland to bare sand.
Should you visit the reserve, we ask that you respect the wildlife, both flora and fauna. Friendly dogs are welcome providing they are under control (on a lead when near parties of school children and during ground bird nesting season).Please take poo and poo bags home with you. To get involved or find out more, you are always welcome join us at one of our volunteer meetings to help maintain this wonderful local resource.