Maze Park
The north-eastern end of Maze Park Nature Reserve from the viewing hill
Maze Park Nature Reserve is located in England
Maze Park Nature Reserve
Location within England
LocationMiddlesbrough, England
Coordinates54°33′58″N 1°16′38″W / 54.56611°N 1.27722°W / 54.56611; -1.27722
Area42 acres (17 ha)
Operated byTees Valley Wildlife Trust
Websiteteeswildlife.org

Maze Park is a 42-acre (17 ha) urban nature reserve in Middlesbrough, England on the south bank of the Tees on part of the former Tees Marshalling Yard.[1] It was created by the Teesside Development Corporation[2] and is owned and run by the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust.[3][4] The reserve is a narrow triangle of land bounded by the River Tees, the old River Tees, and the Thornaby rail marshalling yards.[4][5][6]

Facilities

The area is rough grassland, supporting herbs and broad-leaved plants and has three landscaped viewing mounds[1][7] giving panoramic views of the Green Blue Heart of the Tees Corridor. Passing through the reserve along the side of the River Tees is the Teesdale Way footpath and cycle route and there are butterfly styled metal cycle racks to park bicycles for those cyclists wishing to stop and take a closer look.[8] There is also a hanging butterfly sculpture on the side of a viewing mound.

An interpretation panel is present for the interested visitor and others are planned. The western end of the nature reserve is close to and accessible from the Tees Barrage. Portrack Marsh Nature Reserve is located on the opposite bank of the River Tees.

Flora and fauna

Maze Park Nature Reserve supports a range of plants, insects and birds. The area has a slag-based soil and is ideal for plants that grow in limestone and chalk meadows.[9] Plants in the reserve include bird's foot trefoil, common centaury, rocket, St John's wort and yellow-wort[2] and there was a school project to plant further wild plants such as viper's bugloss, greater knapweed, salad burnet and selfheal.[9] Insects to be found include damselfly, dingy skipper, grasshopper, grayling, ringlet, six-spot burnet moth and small copper.[2][7][10][11]

The birds which are known to nest or visit include blackcap, common chaffinch, grasshopper warbler, grey partridge, kingfisher, sand martin, skylark and sparrowhawk.[2][11][12]

References

  1. 1 2 "Maze Park Nature Reserve". teeswildlife.org. The Wildlife Trust – Tees Valley. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Maze Park". Gazette Live. Teesside: Evening Gazette. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  3. ↑ "Brownfields – Habitat Action Plan" (PDF). teesvalleybiodiversity.org.uk. Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Development Strategy – Green Blue Heart". smi-teesvalley.co.uk. Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiative. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  5. ↑ "Take a trip to Barrage". ICTeesside. Teesside: Evening Gazette. 8 September 2005. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  6. ↑ "The Green Blue Heart" (PDF). smi-teesvalley.co.uk. Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiative. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  7. 1 2 "Ecologists discover rare butterfly at more sites". The Northern Echo. Tees Valley. 7 November 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  8. ↑ "The Tees Corridor Natural Regeration Project". teeswildlife.org. The Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  9. 1 2 "Pupils' dirty hands for a good cause". The Northern Echo. 9 July 2001. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Flickr Search". Flickr. Retrieved 12 June 2009.; "2007 Non birds". teesmouthbc.com. Teesmouth Bird Club. Retrieved 12 June 2007.; "Heavy industry gives rare butterflies a lift". The Northern Echo. 12 October 2008. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  11. 1 2 "Teesmouth Birdclub Newsletter, Issue 34" (PDF). teesmouthbc.com. Teesmouth Bird Club. Summer 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  12. ↑ Sharples, Garry. "Birds of Portrack Marsh and the Tees Barrage" (PDF). teesmouthbc.com. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
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