Thank you for your interest in this story

To continue reading this article, sign up today to unlock exclusive content and be part of our community discussions

Exclusive discounts
Enjoy commenting on local issues

Already a subscriber? Log in here.

Jul 2023

Environment

£250,000 awarded to restore habitat at Nosterfield Nature Reserve

Published: 8 Jul 2023, 08:00 BST

by Calvin Robinson Chief Reporter

nosterfield-nature-reserve-photo-by-frank-dwyer

A conservation trust which runs Nosterfield Nature Reserve has been awarded £250,000 to help restore threatened natural habitats.

The 150-acre nature reserve is situated between the Rivers Ure and Swale at West Tanfield, between Ripon and Masham.

It is regarded as North Yorkshire’s premier wetland grassland. However, rare remnant areas of fen and magnesian limestone are in urgent need of attention.

The National Lottery’s Heritage Fund grant will enable Lower Ure Conservation Trust to tackle this by employing three staff and embarking on a project to restore natural habitats at Nosterfield,

The scheme will also improve other areas along the Ure.

Simon Warwick, director of the trust, said it was the biggest grant it had ever received. He added:

“Our animals, plants and invertebrate life have been poorly served by us humans in recent years. We are one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe.

“In our small way, let’s hope this is the start of a fightback in this part of North Yorkshire. We are extremely grateful to the National Lottery players to have received this support.”

Ripon nature reserve gets £132,000 government boost

English Heritage declines to buy Ripon’s ‘Stonehenge of the North’

The habitat restoration work will focus on wetland and magnesian limestone, including working alongside English Heritage on the neighbouring neolithic monument, Thornborough Henges.

There will be opportunities for local people to get involved through community planting days, which will be held in autumn 2024 and 2025.

Work at Nosterfield will include includes a range of priority habitats which will be restored, conserved and re-created as part of the project.

Species such as Bittern, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Dingy Skipper and Tubular Water-dropwort will benefit from these habitat improvements.

The project, which starts on Monday (July 10) and will last for two-and-a-half years, also aims to connect people with nature by creating a community engagement officer role.

Emma Higgs, project officer at Nosterfield, said:

“One of the most exciting things about the project for me is getting more people involved in securing a future for our wildlife.

“We have some great volunteers but with more work to be done now we need more and better trained ones.

“We will be able to employ three new people and one of those roles will be to encourage school children to become involved.”

Thank you for your interest in this story

£250,000 awarded to restore habitat at Nosterfield Nature Reserve

Read more: