Wildlife habitat taking shape at former coal mine

A new wildlife area is being developed on the site of a former coal mine in Leicestershire.

Leicestershire County Council said it was transforming a 22.3-acre (nine-hectare) area between Ravenstone and Heather, near the former Long Moor surface mine, which closed in 2010.

Some 12,000 trees have been planted and tussock grass, which grows in clumps and tufts, has been sown in order to create a habitat for small mammals.

Bird boxes have also been installed to encourage barn owls to breed at the site off Heather Lane.

The creation of the new wildlife area is part of the authority's Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which was launched in the summer of 2025.

As part of the work, the area has been connected to nearby footpaths to improve public access.

Cabinet member for environment and flooding at the council, Adam Tilbury, said: "The Ravenstone project is a fantastic example of how we can repurpose land to benefit both wildlife and local communities.

"By creating habitats that support species such as barn owls and linking them to the wider landscape, we're helping nature to thrive while contributing to the National Forest and our Local Nature Recovery Strategy."

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