Wildlife Trust Seeks Funding for Habitat Restoration in Shropshire Hills

“It’s three fields and lots of wet bits in between”. This is how a wildlife trust characterizes Betchcott Hill, a parcel of land in the Shropshire Hills that it has recently acquired. The trust now requires more than £130,000 by the close of the year to facilitate the restoration of this habitat, which is home to numerous wildlife species. The expectation is that this effort will contribute to increasing the populations of some species that are in decline. “It’s a wonderful place, it’s a wonderful bit of landscape with some fantastic views, but it’s also got some amazing habitats and some really interesting species,” stated Tom Freeland, the head of nature reserves at Shropshire Wildlife Trust. This 50-hectare (123-acre) location, positioned between the Stiperstones and the Long Mynd, encompasses a wide array of habitats and numerous wildlife species, which the trust aims to help prosper. “You’ve got some lovely wetland areas, which are great for the breeding birds and the other species, we’ve got some really interesting wet woodland but we’ve also got quite a lot of grassland,” Mr Freeland noted. He added, “We’re confident that [grassland] can become, in essence, special grass like you can see on the Stiperstones.” This specific type of grass is considerably more advantageous for the species already attempting to breed on the site, he clarified. Mr Freeland mentioned, “Skylark and snipe, cuckoos and lapwing,” and concluded, “I think the most exciting and probably the bird that needs the most protection is the curlew, a real icon of the Shropshire Hills.” The curlew’s need for support is evident, as the trust indicated that its population in Shropshire decreased by 77% between 1990 and 2010. “We know that they have bred on site, we know that they attempted to raise chicks on this site last year, we know they didn’t successfully do so,” he explained. He further emphasized, “They are struggling as a species, they need that longish grass that they can safely raise their chicks in.” The trust is eager to establish connections among its reserves in the Shropshire Hills area, and Betchcott Hill is positioned between two of its established sites. “I think we’re always looking out for the right place where we can make the biggest impact for wildlife,” Mr Freeland stated. He added, “This is an opportunity that came up, to pick up what is essentially a missing link between the Long Mynd and the Stiperstones, and our other existing reserves we have in the area like Earl’s Hill and The Hollies.” He concluded, “It needs some work to get to be as good as some of the other places we’re looking after, but we’re confident we can get it there.” Shropshire Wildlife Trust requires a total of £1,113,000 to bring this entire initiative to fruition. The trust has already secured £975,000 of that total amount. Of the outstanding £138,000, the public has already contributed more than £32,000. “This is really only the start,” Mr Freeland commented. Planned alterations to the habitats encompass the introduction of new hedgerows, the application of green hay to enhance the grassland, the provision of accessible parking, and the establishment of feeding locations for curlews. The trust, opting not to delay, is initiating work this winter. “One of the things we need to do as a priority is to manage the site for the curlews and the other breeding birds,” he further explained. He concluded, “The work starts now, really.” Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.