Shire Brook Valley Local Nature Reserve

The reserve includes Beighton Marsh, an area of reed-grass swamp situated at its eastern end, which supports birds such as Reed Bunting, Grasshopper Warbler and barn owl, as well as mammals such as the Harvest Mouse and Water Vole.

The Birley Spa Bath House, a Grade II listed building, was restored with a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2001.

Also added to the eastern side of the reserve is a landscaped former landfill site, called Linley Bank Meadow, now home to skylarks and a likely location for soaring buzzards.

The dam is now mainly used as a wildlife pond, with toads, frogs and other species including the endangered Great Crested Newt breeding in the marshes.

Volunteers formed the group in 1989 and have been at the forefront in carrying out habitat conservation work on the nature reserve on a weekly/monthly basis, meeting on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.