Close Umpson (ASSI & Ramsar Site)
An Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)! This small nature reserve features species rich grassland passing into peat bog with a variety of plant species including orchids.
Rob Strathdee
We look after an amazing network of 37 nature reserves right across the Island with the help of our dedicated band of volunteers, the Midweek Muckers, Ballachurry Bashers and the Onchan Wetlanders! We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our marvellous volunteers who proudly manage some of the finest sites for nature in our Manx nation (in 2025 they were awarded the King's Award for Voluntary Service).
In addition to our own reserves, we also co-manage the Calf of Man with a team of four full-time wardens (along with volunteers) in conjunction with the landowner, the Manx Museum and National Trust (known as Manx National Heritage).
We are very pleased that one of our reserves, Cronk y Bing is a National Nature Reserve, giving it the highest level of legal protection in Manx law and reflecting its global importance. in total, seven of our reserves are designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) which means that they are protected areas of national importance for nature conservation. Five of these ASSI reserves also form part of a designated Ramsar Wetland, with three other reserves being within formal Candidate Ramsar Sites, meaning that our volunteers proudly care for numerous sites of both international and national importance for wildlife. Eight of our reserves are also within Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, internationally recognised for their global importance.
Our incredible volunteers also run our Wildlife Shop in Peel, our Wildlife Kiosk in the Sea Terminal and our two seasonal Nature Discovery Centres, which are also listed below.
You can now see all Manx Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves and Nature Discovery Centres on the Island Environment map which can be found here.
Find all the information about our reserves, when they were acquired and their sizes here.
33 results
An Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)! This small nature reserve features species rich grassland passing into peat bog with a variety of plant species including orchids.
A woodland with waterfalls and a riverside walk, spring sees a great display of flowers.
A new temperate rainforest. This was MWT’s largest nature reserve when purchased in April 2023 with funding by Aviva and in partnership with the Isle of Man Woodland Trust.
One of MWT's seven nature reserves which is an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI), Cronk y Bing was further declared to be a National Nature Reserve (NNR) on 14th July 2026 to…
This small nature reserve is the watershed of two tributaries and is known in gaelic as Raven’s Marsh.
'Curragh Kiondroghad' in Manx Gaelic or Onchan Wetlands in English, this site was previously a mill pond. Now natural succession has turned it into the green lungs of Onchan, a small…
Traditional heather moorland with western gorse and plenty of birds.
An upland nature reserve with a mosaic of habitats producing a tremendous diversity of native plant species.
The species-rich wet tussocky grassland of this closed reserve contains a number of orchids and other wetland plant species and provides valuable habitat for a range of invertebrates.
A boardwalk runs through the willow scrub, there's an abundance of mosses and lichens and a bird hide too within this small nature reserve.
33 results