Wildlife and landscape
There is a slight irony in the fact that the LLW Repository is a haven for animal and plant life!
The Repository supports a wide range of habitats and wildlife species, some of which are statutorily protected or listed on various schedules of conservation priority. The nature conservation interest has arisen partly as a consequence of the site’s location adjacent to the Drigg Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) which lie to the west and south of the site and partly as a result of its industrial history.
Roe Deer, Rabbits and Foxes roam freely within the site boundary. A Red Squirrel and a Barn Owl regularly forage the site for food.
Appropriate measures are taken to ensure that our protected species remain protected. Several LLW Repository Personnel have undergone specialist handling training to ensure we meet our ecological responsibilities.
The following species can be found on, or close to, the site:
- Adder
- Natterjack toad
- Great crested newt
- Common lizard
- Water vole
- Slow worm
- Skylark
- Song thrush
- Barn Owl
- Kingfisher
- Brown Hare
- Otter
- Pipistrelle bat
- Red Squirrel
- Pennyroyal
- Pillwort
Production and implementation of a Landscaping and Wildlife Management Plan is one of several planning conditions imposed on the LLW Repository and one that we embrace with pleasure - we have just completed a three year phased planting scheme of indigenous species to protect our habitats, provide visual screening and improve the general attractiveness of the site.
Wildlife and landscape
