Dalby Mountain Nature Reserve extended by 62%

MWT project is backed by company's 'green finance' goal

Manx Wildlife Trust is extending its Dalby Mountain Nature Reserve by around 62 percent.

It's been made possible by the purchase of 43 acres of moorland and blanket bog thanks to funding from Island business Resilience Asset Management Ltd.

The newly acquired parcel of land will be known as 'Creeny-chreeagh' which translates to 'wise-hearted' in English.

The Dalby Mountain Nature Reserve was originally acquired in 1995 – the expansion takes it to more than 112 acres.

It means it’s overtaken Creg y Cowin as the second largest nature reserve on the Island behind Glion Darragh Nature Reserve.  

David Bellamy is the Head of Conservation and Land and said: “Notably this site requires next to no management and impressively has been acquired at no cost to MWT being our second acquisition this year facilitated by green finance.

“Indeed, not only has the full purchase cost been kindly paid for by Resilience Asset Management but so have the legal fees.”

He spoke to Simon Richardson:

Resilience Asset Management Managing Director Greg Easton added: “When we completed our management-buyout in May 2024 we made a commitment to setting aside 10 percent of our management fees for conservation.

“Everyone who has invested with us this year, through their pensions or directly, can now say they have helped to preserve this habitat for future generations.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have a business within a UNESCO Biosphere and to be able to contribute to the Island’s 30 by 30 target gives us an enormous sense of purpose.”