Donna Nook

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Donna Nook
Near North Somercotes, Lincolnshire in England
Sealsfence.jpg
Seals at Donna Nook fenceline in 2007
Lincolnshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Donna Nook
Shown within Lincolnshire
Coordinates 53°28′29″N000°09′07″E / 53.47472°N 0.15194°E / 53.47472; 0.15194
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Open to
the public		Yes, in part
Website Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
Donna Nook National Nature Reserve

Donna Nook is a point on the low-lying coast of north Lincolnshire, England, north of the village of North Somercotes and south of Grimsby. The area, a salt marsh, is used by a number of Royal Air Force stations in Lincolnshire for bombing practice and shares its name with RAF Donna Nook. The site was also made available to commercial organisations such as BMARC for firing tests.

Contents

Recognised as an important area for wildlife conservation, it is linked to the similar site at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature Reserve.

History

On Sunday 3 April 1966 13 sailors died on the MV Anzio, from Aberdeen. [1] [2] [3]

Conservation area

Wildlife seems to have become accustomed to regular aircraft bombing according to The Wildlife Trust. The name is popularly supposed to be derived from a ship called The Donna, part of the Spanish Armada, which sank off the Nook (a small headland) in 1588. [4]

A 6 miles (10 km) coastal strip stretching from Saltfleet in the south, to Somercotes Haven in the north, is managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. [5] It is part of the land owned by the Ministry of Defence and used as a bombing range. [4] The grey seal population return to breed from October to December every year. From 2007, when about 1,194 pups were born to 3,500 resident grey seal colony, births rates have grown to 2,066 pups born over the 2018 season. [6] A double wooden fence was erected to ensure better separation and protection for both visitors and seals. [7]

The reserve, staffed by full time wardens and volunteer seal wardens, is accessible to the public.[ citation needed ] Media coverage of Donna Nook has led to a big increase in visitor numbers; it was visited by about 43,000 people in 2006.[ citation needed ] Surplus money collected through sales is used to further support the protection of seals.[ citation needed ]

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has asked walkers and photographers to stay in the public viewing area and to avoid going out onto the sands, following an increase in seal mortality which coincided with an increase in visitor numbers in 2010 [8] and criticism of the disturbance caused by photographers.[ citation needed ]

A 2023 initiative under King Charles' reign, a new combined National Nature Reserve (NNR), has been established linking with the similar site at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dune, becoming known together as the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve. It is the first new NNR declared as part of the King’s Series. [9]

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References

  1. ↑ Lincolnshire Echo Monday 4 April 1966, page 1
  2. ↑ Grimsby Evening Telegraph Monday 4 April 1966, page 1
  3. ↑ Aberdeen Evening Express Tuesday 5 April 1966, page 5
  4. 1 2 "Donna Nook". Natural England. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  5. ↑ "Donna Nook". Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Weekly seal update | Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust". www.lincstrust.org.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  7. ↑ "Evaluation report for HLF Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust" (PDF). www.lincstrust.org.uk. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "Walkers urged not to disturb Donna Nook seals". BBC News. BBC. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  9. ↑ Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve Natural England via gov.uk, 18 September, 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023

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