A RARE meadow near Malvern has been saved after the county’s largest nature conservation charity completed the purchase of the site.
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust’s newest nature reserve comprises 50 acres at Harwick Green Meadows in Eldersfield.
Since launching a fund-raising appeal and submitting a series of grant applications in the summer of last year, the trust has now raised enough funds to save these precious fields.
Colin Raven, director of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: “We are thrilled to be able to save these rare and wonderful meadows from an uncertain future and would like to thank everybody who has donated to our appeal.
“From individuals who donated £10 to funders like Severn Waste Services, through the Severn Waste Environmental Fund, and The Banister Trust who donated £50,000 each, every bit has helped us to reach our goal.
“We must also say thank-you to players of the National Lottery who enabled the Heritage Lottery Fund to grant £197,000 towards the purchase cost of Hardwick Green Meadows and our forthcoming work with local schools and communities in the area.
“Floodplain meadows are a rare find these days.
“Only 3500 acres remain across the whole of the UK, which is about the area of the Malvern Hills.”
The charity and funding body, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, purchased the meadows on a short-term basis in order to give Worcestershire Wildlife Trust enough time to fund-raise for the purchase and ongoing maintenance costs of £460,000.
Members of the public raised more than £50,000 through individual donations and £23,000 was raised through a number of charitable trusts including the Alan Evans Memorial Fund and Rowlands Charitable Trust.
The remaining balance has been met by gifts left in Wills to the Trust.
Mr Raven added: “These meadows are very special indeed. Throughout spring and summer, they’re a riot of colour and the flowers support a huge variety of wildlife.
“As well as the butterflies and bees that dance from flower to flower, hares have been spotted and otters are known to use the brook.”
The first job for the trust will be to make structural improvements like the construction of bridges over the on-site brook to ease management of the fields.
The Heritage Lottery Fund grant will also fund work with the community and the creation of a cycle route which encompasses many of the flower-rich meadows in the area.
Visit www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk for further information.
