Glow-worms at risk at Kenilworth Common nature reserve
Rare glow-worm population and habitats threatened by ongoing damage from unauthorised bike activity at the Warwickshire nature reserve
A nature reserve in Kenilworth is facing damage to its wildlife habitats after areas of the site were affected by repeated bike activity.
Kenilworth Common is home to a variety of species, including the rare glow-worm, a beetle species that has become increasingly uncommon in Warwickshire. The reserve is one of only a small number of locations in the county where glow-worms are still found.
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust has warned that damage to the site is affecting the habitats needed by glow-worms and other wildlife. The organisation said parts of the reserve have been turned from areas rich in vegetation into bare, dusty ground, reducing the space available for nesting birds, woodland plants, insects, and other species.
Damage reported at the site includes the creation of bike tracks, the removal of trees to create jumps, and the destruction of fences and newly planted trees.
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust has been working with Warwick District Council and local enforcement teams to address the issue and protect areas of the reserve considered important for wildlife.
The Trust is asking people who cycle off-road, including mountain bike and BMX riders, to use more suitable locations and avoid activities that could damage protected habitats.
Karl Curtis, Director of Nature Reserves at Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Kenilworth Common is a unique wild space for our local and rare wildlife to thrive, but with less green spaces and more people, humans are having a negative impact.
“The local glow-worm population, are under threat from the pressure of people accessing areas that we need to keep safe for nature, particularly by bikes.
"We want Kenilworth Common to remain rich in nature and a stronghold for the glow worms, but that won’t happen if we don’t share the space respectfully with nature. So please do stick to the paths and avoid damaging activities.”
Members of the public are being encouraged to report incidents involving off-road bikes, mountain bikes, BMX bikes, or other anti-social behaviour within the reserve.
Conservationists hope that preventing further damage will allow Kenilworth Common’s habitats to recover and help protect the rare glow-worm population and other wildlife that depend on the reserve.