Charnwood Forest’s most important geological treasures are being conserved thanks to the close work of a partnership of organisations, and the skill of our region’s drystone wallers.
Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood was awarded National Nature Reserve status in 2024, recognising the international significance of the geological wonders found there. Of particular note are the 562 million year old fossils, that are some of the oldest evidence for animal life anywhere on the planet.
These fossils, only known from a few sites around the world, are key to our understanding of how animals first evolved, but are at risk from threats such as illegal collecting, graffiti, and people climbing the outcrops. To help conserve these incredibly rare fossils, it was decided to build a drystone wall around the site. The drystone wall has been developed in consultation with Natural England, and was granted planning permission from Charnwood Borough Council.
Finding the correct stone for the project – one that matched the outcrops in the Park – was proving difficult, but thanks to a donation from Aggregate Industries the perfect rock was found. Aggregate Industries operate the quarry at Bardon Hill, and kindly supplied more than 30 tonnes of stone to support this vital geoconservation project that will preserve Charnwood Forest’s geological treasures for generations to come. Funding for the project was supported by Charnwood Forest Geopark, and Natural England’s Conservation Enhancement Scheme.
The Park’s new wall was constructed by skilled local drystone waller Mo Walker, alongside Leon Fairbrother, who is completing a Geopark-supported apprenticeship in drystone walling at Bradgate Park.
In the coming months, Charnwood Forest Geopark and Bradgate Park Trust are working together to install new interpretation sites in the Park to bring this area’s fossil story to life, without the need to put the fossils themselves at risk. Visitors to the Park’s Deer Barn Visitor centre can already view new artistic reconstructions of the fossils that have been developed by the Geopark.
The idea for the geoconservation drystone wall was originally proposed in a research project undertaken by Dr Jack Matthews at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund, through the Oxford Policy Engagement Network. Jack is now the Geopark’s Geoheritage Interpretation and Conservation Officer.
Charnwood Forest Geopark would like to thank all the organisations and individuals who have been involved in the development and implementation of this vital geoconservation project that will help to conserve some of England’s oldest and most important fossils.
Visitors to Charnwood Forest’s beautiful landscape are reminded that it is an offence to remove, damage, or destroy the fossils within the Geopark.