Help Huntingdonshire’s Nature Reserves
The Wildlife Trust Huntingdonshire Local Group is launching a new appeal for much needed funds to support the ongoing maintenance and improvement work for our local reserves. We have 20 Wildlife Trust reserves in Huntingdonshire, fabulous woodlands such as Brampton Wood and Lady’s Wood and ancient meadows like Upwood and Houghton Meadows. They all need care by Trust Reserves staff and many volunteers. Without it, paths in woodlands become inaccessible and meadows revert to scrub. Not only will the plants and animals be lost but also, it will become difficult for the public to visit. The Trust can often get grants to purchase new reserves, such as the Great Fen and East Pit (a brilliant chalk pit near Cambridge). It is far more difficult to get grants for mundane work on existing reserves, as this generates a lot less publicity. The Huntingdonshire Local Group wants to raise £5,000 to support our local reserves. We would like to raise more, as there is so much that could be done if we had the funds. Examples of the things we could do with the money are:
• Welcome signs at the entrances to Upwood Meadows from Upwood village and Lady’s Wood from Woodwalton - £600 each;
• New stock-proof fencing at Woodwalton Marsh to safeguard grazing animals - £1,500;
• Bridging ditches and installing kissing gates to improve entrances at Wistow Wood - £600;
• Houghton Meadows needs much work to improve the site for cattle grazing, essential to control invasive species. Replacing the perimeter fence alone would cost £7,000.
We do hope you will support our appeal for Helping Huntingdonshire’s Reserves. Thanks to you, we now have a fabulous wildlife pond at Grafham Water, with thriving populations of Great Crested Newts, Dragonfly larvae, water beetles and a whole host of other pond life.
Please send your donations – cheques payable to the Wildlife Trust Hunts Local Group – to George Cottam, 2 Buckden Road, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs. PE28 4PS or go to www.justgiving.com/George-Cottam.