Practical Conservation Work at Bell Lake Marsh, Red River Local Nature Reserve, Cornwall
A day of Practical Conservation Work at Bell Lake Marsh, part of the Red River Local Nature Reserve near Camborne
Saturday 29th March 2025
Leader: Steve Jones and Jo Poland
Moving off from the meeting point at the bottom of Cuttings Hill, (SW629422), at 11.00am
(Please ensure that you arrive at the meeting point at least 10 minutes before the event start time to collect tools & PPE)
Join the team for the final scrub bashing session of the season, to get Bell Lake Marsh in shape for the Spring & Summer ahead. Who knows, there may even be a few damselflies joining us if the sun has got his hat on!
Remember to wear old clothes, it’s a messy job if you get carried a way and sparks from Gary’s bonfire will damage clothing if you get too close!!! Wellies are a must and don’t forget to bring a packed lunch. We will provide tools along with gloves and protective eyewear, however you are more than welcome to bring your own kit if you feel happier using that. For health & safety purposes we will be taking down contact details for all those attending.
You can see photos & read about the ongoing work at our Red River Valley sites, along with the species involved on the Red River Rescuers Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/redriverrescuers/ Why not register and get regular updates. Don’t worry if you’re not on Facebook, we have our own website where you can also read all about our activities here: www.redriverrescuers.weebly.com
Here is the link to the short film, “Great Wheal Seton, Wildlife Habitat on the Edge”:
https://youtu.be/DvnDEmYpNtI?si=lyEkj858jL53CTIp
Directions to Bell Lake Marsh: Leave the A30 dual carriageway at the Camborne West exit (Treswithian).
If you are travelling in a westerly direction turn left at the end of the slip road and go all the way around the roundabout and back along the same road to cross over the A30 before turning left on to a minor road heading for Reskadinnick. After a quarter of a mile you will pass Camborne/Treswithian Downs Crematorium on your right and shortly after that you should turn right (which in effect is straight on) heading for Bell Lake/Coombe, (do not take the turning for Reskadinnick). Follow this road for half a mile, it will then drop down a steep hill, park at the bottom along the entrance to the track on the right or just after the river bridge.
If you are travelling in an easterly direction turn left at the end of the slip road & immediately left again on to a minor road heading for Reskadinnick. After a quarter of a mile you will pass Camborne/Treswithian Downs Crematorium on your right and shortly after that you should turn right (which in effect is straight on) heading for Bell Lake/Coombe, (do not take the turning for Reskadinnick). Follow this road for half a mile, it will then drop down a steep hill, park at the bottom along the entrance to the track on the right or just after the river bridge.
Please park sensibly and do not obstruct vehicular access along the track.
Bell Lake Marsh is one of the best remaining dragonfly sites along the Red River Valley, supporting breeding colonies of the nationally scarce Small Red Damselfly & Keeled Skimmer. In the last 10 years it has lost it’s colony of the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly & during the last 30 years it has lost a Marsh Fritillary colony. Our aim is to reverse the decline of this important wetland habitat by removing invasive willow, gorse, birch saplings & lesser reedmace, opening up the site with a series of work parties over the autumn & winter. Please come along and lend a hand with this very worthwhile task, it will keep you fit while you have fun & enjoy a bit of constructive destruction!
The Great UK WaterBlitz is a biannual campaign calling on everyone to go out and test the quality of their local freshwater including rivers, streams and lakes. This helps to build a national picture of water quality across the UK. The Great UK WaterBlitz is part of the ongoing FreshWater Watch citizen science monitoring programme.
Find out more and how to take part here
Twice a year we run a Big River Watch, and the next one takes place from 25th April to 1st May. These are week-long citizen science surveys in which everyone can take part in a simple activity that helps build a picture of river health across the UK and Ireland.
New for this year, if you’d like to collect even more information about your river, you can also sign up to the Great UK WaterBlitz, and test the water for phosphates and nitrates after you’ve completed a Big River Watch survey.
Our rivers are far from healthy. They’re polluted with sewage, plastic, chemicals and nutrients, and just 15% of river stretches in England are in good overall health.
To restore them, we need more information about how they’re doing. You can help us identify and locate the issues. With the Big River Watch app, you can help us identify the issues, and will contribute to a national data set that will help us build a picture of river health.
Find out more and how to take part here
Wales Nature Week is a celebration of our magical nature from common everyday species like dandelions and buff tailed bumblebees, to fascinating fungi, soaring red kites and acrobatic red squirrels. It celebrates the gardens, fields and meadows, woods and Celtic rainforest, water and reens, seashore and dune, and all the magical places nature finds a home.
And importantly, it celebrates the people, nature organisations, communities, schools and faith groups who carry out incredible work for nature in their area.
More information
Join the Scotland team on Saturday 5th April 2025 for our 2025 Scotland Conference in the Soutar Theatre at the AK Bell Library, Perth. There will be talks, workshops and a chance to connect with like-minded dragonfly enthusiasts.
Refreshments will be provided but not lunch. Please book your place using the form below.
| Name | Talk |
| Lorna Slater MSP | Nature Champion for the Northern Damselfly: ‘On holiday with the Damselflies’. |
| Stephen Corcoran | Corrour peatland restoration and Northern Damselfly project |
| Pat Batty | Corrour survey results |
| Scott Shanks | Dragonflies on the Bog |
| Jen Davidson | Conservation work |
| Genevieve Tomkins | Cairngorms to Coast: the hunt for a rare dragon and damsel |
| Emma Stevens-Veitch | Playing hide & seek with Northern Emerald larvae |
| David Penman | Carse of Stirling Dragonflies |
| Workshops | Exuvia & larva ID |
Book your place using the form below:
Aims: to see a range of summer dragonflies and damselflies with the possibility of Brilliant Emerald, and Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly which was recorded on the site last summer.
A whole day exploring Dragonflies at the Avalon Marshes Centre.
Orchestrated by Odonata oracle Jon Van Gowler, the day will explore the science and the place we hold dragonflies in our society through photography and art.
The event will be opened by Chris Sperring M.B.E. and will contain talks, photographic presentation and chances to see live larvae in pond-dipping sessions.
For more information and for booking talks click here.
Image: Four-spotted Chaser by Iain Leach
We are determined to see more dragonflies this year and will especially be looking for Black Darter, after our visit in disappointing weather in 2024.
The site is managed for local nature and worldwide conservation by Marwell Wildlife.
We will be guided by Tony Mundell, formerly of RAE and the original proposer of Site of Special Scientific Interest status for Eelmoor Marsh.
A joint meeting of BDS Hants, Surrey, Berkshire Group with Butterfly Conservation, Surrey branch, led by Francis Kelly, an expert in both.
Wildwood is an abandoned golf course with numerous “water features”. 24 species of Odonata have been recorded across 18+ ponds. Also look out for the very rare Brown Hairstreak butterfly.
A SSSI site managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust with many species including White-legged Damselfly.