Nature reserve declared to coincide with King's visit

A stretch of sand dunes on the Isle of Man's northern coast has been given the highest level of legal protection to coincide with the King's first official visit to the island as Lord of Mann.

The Manx Wildlife Trust's Cronk y Bing Ayres reserve, near Andreas, has been declared a national nature reserve by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

The reserves are recognised as some of the island's most important sites for wildlife and receive the highest level of statutory protection.

The site is considered by Manx Wildlife Trust to be its most important reserve for birds, with more than 120 species recorded including 36 of the island's 48 red-listed species of conservation concern.

Head of conservation and land at Manx Wildlife Trust, David Bellamy, said the reserve was "one of the very best sites in the whole island to experience and enjoy Manx nature at its very best".

He said the new designation would provide the greatest level of protection available under Manx law and was a fitting way to mark the King's visit on Tuesday, given his longstanding interest in nature conservation.

The reserve covers 7.16 hectares (17.69 acres), with habitats including sand dunes, grassland, reedbeds and foreshore. It is also home to rare plants, including the pyramidal orchid, and supports beach-nesting birds such as ringed plovers and oystercatchers.

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