Former dairy farm restored as nature reserve

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust had been awarded a £243,129 grant to restore the Bartonsham Meadows

A wildlife charity says the conversion of an old dairy farm into a nature reserve is already showing benefits.

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust was awarded a £243,129 grant to restore the Bartonsham Meadows after taking over the land in March 2023.

Since the Trust took over the 40-hectare site, wildflowers and grass seed have been planted and grasshopper warblers, rare in the county, are thought to have nested.

David Hutton from Herefordshire Wildlife Trust said: "We have already seen a great deal of new species taking up residence and hope to create space for more in future.”

The land had been owned by Church Commissioners for England since the 1850s, and was previously used for grazing cattle.

The restoration project will also receive £30,000 funding from Welsh Water to help support the installation of a flood-plain in the meadow.

The Trust plans to restore 18 hectares of the land as flood-plain meadow habitat by introducing harvesting hay, grazing cattle and sheep.

A further 17 hectares will be left to develop and regenerate naturally, the Trust said.

Gemma Williams from Welsh Water said it was exciting to hear that new species had begun finding a home and reaped the benefits of the restoration.