Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £200,000 was awarded to the Trust to fund the purchase of Slinter Woods and Dunsley Meadows near Cromford, with part of the funding earmarked to deliver management and restoration plan for the sites.
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s team of rewilders will now take action to help nature recover at the connected sites with community engagement plans, practical delivery, surveying and monitoring. Tree safety work will be completed to ensure safe access for all, and an assessment is being made for an improved grazing strategy on the meadows to deliver habitat improvement and biodiversity uplift.
Across the UK, 97% of wildflower meadow habitat has been lost with a maximum of 1,700 hectares remaining in the whole of the county. Dunsley Meadows is a neutral grassland that supports a series of species-rich pastures and meadows.
Slinter Woods is a combination of woodland, scrub and grassland habitats, supporting at least twelve nationally notable species of plant, with many other plants of local scarcity. The site is also home to the winter hibernation sites of at least four bat species in the disused mines and caverns.
The two new nature reserves are adjacent to the Trust’s existing reserves at Rose End Meadows and Gang Mine, adding an additional 15.5 hectares of space for nature to this cluster of wildlife havens.
By connecting the spaces, a green corridor has been extended for wildlife to migrate safely, and even more space for people to visit and enjoy the wellbeing benefits of nature has been made accessible.
