Cumbria conservation champion retires after 30 years of service

Site manager, Dave Blackledge, has retired from his role at the RSPB’s Cumbria Coastal nature reserves.

During his long career, Mr Blackledge led significant conservation efforts, including at RSPB Campfield Marsh and RSPB Hodbarrow.

Dave Blackledge worked at RSPB’s Cumbria Coastal nature reserves (Image: Mhairi Maclauchlan) His work helped transform these sites of special scientific interest into havens for wildlife, including the 'Blackledge Archipelago' at Hodbarrow, which is now home to a thriving seabird colony.

RSPB Hodbarrow, one of the 'most important' tern colonies in the UK, is a vital sanctuary for breeding terns and wintering wildfowl and waders.

With the help of his team, Mr Blackledge has been instrumental in protecting tern colonies, monitoring rare butterflies, and making the nature reserves more accessible.

A little tern (Image: Andrew, rspb-images.com) His conservation efforts have ensured the thriving of rare plants, songbirds, and butterflies across the RSPB Cumbrian nature reserves.

In his retirement, Mr Blackledge plans to devote his time to his other passion, spider recording, as well as hill walking on the Cumbrian fells.

Mr Blackledge said: "This truly is a hidden gem of Cumbria, and helping to reinvigorate its wildlife, creating a place both visitors and local people can enjoy has been a great honour.

"There’s sadness to going too because the people I work with are such a dedicated team.

"I’d like to thank all the staff, volunteers and local people and partner organisations who have helped over the years.

"We need to do all we can to conserve this wonderful landscape, creating the right habitats for nature to thrive.

"Making a difference has been very special but I can now carry on doing this through my passion for spiders."

A Natterjack toad, one of the UK’s rarest native amphibians (Image: Andy Hay) Under Mr Blackledge's stewardship, the tern colony at RSPB Hodbarrow has flourished, with numbers increasing 'exponentially'.

The number of breeding pairs of little terns has more than doubled from 25 some 30 years ago to 53.

Common terns have also reached their highest numbers ever, with 75 breeding pairs this year compared to 25 when conservation work first began.

A spoonbill (Image: Peter Lau) The eider population has increased from just six pairs to 75 pairs this year.

RSPB area manager for Cumbria, David Morris, said: "Dave has grown RSPB Campfield Marsh into one of the most dynamic wet grassland sites in the country and put Hodbarrow on the map as a nationally important tern colony.

"We are extremely grateful for his contribution to conservation in Cumbria and wish him many happy spider hunts in his retirement."

Mr Blackledge and his team have also worked tirelessly over the years to protect the Natterjack toad at Hodbarrow, one of the UK’s rarest native amphibians.

After an absence from the reserve for many years, these rare creatures began breeding again in 2021.

The conservation efforts are beginning to reverse the declining trend in their numbers in the UK.

Mr Blackledge will be succeeded by Mhairi Maclauchlan, who has worked with him for the past seven years.

New islands for the tern colony were created at RSPB Hodbarrow (Image: Rachelle Regan)

Ms Maclauchlan said: "Having worked with Dave for the last seven years his enthusiasm and knowledge has inspired me and the team to continue the amazing work.

"We want to build on the successes at all three of the Cumbria Coast Reserves.

"If you'd have looked at the sites 30 years ago, we would have only dreamed of having small blue butterflies, spoonbills, and marsh harriers colonising the reserves - who knows what amazing nature we might have breeding in 2025 and beyond."