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About the Group
and the Reserve
The Moor Green Lakes Group (MGLG) was established in 1993 as an organisation to
help manage the Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve in Berkshire, England. Our aims are:
-
to improve the
Reserve for wildlife
-
record and monitor that wildlife
-
enhance the facilities of the Reserve for
members of the Moor Green Lakes Group and other visitors

The Group operates in conjunction with
CEMEX, the site owners and the
Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership both of which bring resources and expertise in active
conservation within the 30 kilometres of the Blackwater Valley.
For the past 50 years
or so gravel has been extracted from the
Blackwater Valley, stretching westward from Sandhurst to Eversley where it
continues today. Moor
Green Lakes is the result of restoration of part of that area. Land north of the
river stretching for 2.5Km to the
west of the Reserve, which is presently being worked, will ultimately become a
major extension of the Reserve, more than
trebling its size.
The
existing Reserve occupies
36 hectares (90 acres) north of the River Blackwater and lies
in the boroughs of Bracknell Forest and Wokingham, in
Berkshire, England. It comprises three lakes: Colebrook North, Colebrook South and Grove
Lake; click
here for an
aerial view. The main access point for the Reserve is
the
Car Park
off Lower Sandhurst Road in Finchampstead, Wokingham. Note that this is a
private Car Park and is locked at night.
It is usually open from approx 08.00; the lock-up
time is displayed on a notice in the Car Park. Due to recent work to
improve the drainage in the area, there is no longer any roadside parking just
outside the car park, however there is room for a car at the bottom end of Dell
Road, just west of the car park; but please don't block the field gates.
Alternative Parking
is available off Mill Lane near the sailing club at Horseshoe Lake.

If visitors identify
any Health and Safety issues on the
Reserve, then please report them to the Site Liaison Officer - details on the
Contacts page. The
Reserve Map shows
the features of the reserve, including location of two viewing hides for use by
members of the Group. Access to the Reserve
is along the footpath running south from the main Car Park, past Colebrook Lakes
North and South, to meet the
Blackwater Valley Path. The
Colebrook Hide is on the spit between the lakes and has wheelchair access. The Blackwater Valley
Path runs beside the
river along the south of the Reserve. A bridge crosses the river 100m to the east of the path from the car park
and leads to Yateley. A bridleway runs in parallel with the path
from the car park to the river bridge. The path from
the river bridge to Mill Lane is part of the
Three Castles
Path, a ramblers route running between Windsor and Winchester. The
hide at Grove Lake is situated on the south-east corner and can be accessed by
the footpath from either car park, being closer to the Mill Lane entrance.
The wildlife on the
Reserve has been recorded and monitored by the Moor Green Lakes Group since
1993. Nationally rare plants are present on the Reserve and the site is of local importance for wintering wildfowl. Tern
Island on Colebrook Lake North has hosted one of Britain's largest inland nesting
colonies of Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls.
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[Current
Weather]
Latest News
The car park is currently locked at:
5pm
The
January 2009 News Letter has been dispatched to Members along
with notice of the AGM to be held Friday 5th March at the
Finchampstead Memorial Hall,
7:30 for 7:45pm start.
Following the AGM,
David Boag
will give an illustrated talk entitled “Natural Quarry”, about the wildlife
(peregrines, etc.) found through the year in an old quarry.
7 February 2010
The Moor Green Lakes Group chairman, Peter
Scott, is standing down at the March AGM. If you are interested in taking
on the role, there is more information
here.
The
January Bird Summary has been added to this website.
1 February 2010
The
work party assignments for the remainder
of the season have been updated.
19 January 2010
The Work Party tasks due this
Sunday, 10th January, have been postponed because of the bad weather.
8 January 2010
The
December Bird Summary has been added to this website.
31 December 2009
The
November Bird Summary has been added to this website.
1 December 2009
The Lower Sandhurst Rd car park is now closed
at 4pm; so please remove your car by that time.
25 November 2009
The
Reading & Basingstoke Ringing group has an updated website giving
information about birds ringed at Moor Green Lakes and other nearby
locations. This Group is lead by Tim Ball,
formerly
with the Newbury Ringing Group.
22 November 2009
The
October Bird Summary has been added to this website.
1 November 2009
Now that BST has finished, the main car park
will be locked at 5pm.
27 October 2009
A new viewing screen has been built on Grove
lake. The materials were generously funded by one of our Members. The
construction was carried out by employees of the software company Sage,
helped by countryside students from Guildford
College and led by Stuart Croft of BVCP.

21 October 2009
The work party assignments have been updated.
7 October 2009
If you spot any faults or
mistakes or have any comments or suggestions on this website, then please let me know at:
webmaster@mglg.org.uk
Previous news items are in the
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