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Donate to Protect Nature Reserves

A grass field of wildflowers including white and purple orchids and yellow flowers

Currently only 3.2% of England’s land and sea is protected yet the UK is part of a global agreement to protect 30% by 2030. We need to do more to protect land for nature. Nature reserves are parcels of land that are protected from development and destruction. This is why nature reserves are so important and why we are asking for your help today. 

Plantlife owns nature reserves across Britain; from Munsary Peatlands in Caithness to Greena Moor in Cornwall to Caeau Tan y Bwlch in Gwynedd. We work hard to keep these habitats  in good ecological condition. But this is becoming harder as costs rise.

Your donation of:

  • £10 could fund a metre of fencing to manage grazing animals
  • £40 could help vital research on the needs of rare plants such as Dark Red Helleborine Epipactis atrorubens
  • £100 could help restore 666 square metres of species-rich grassland to its former glory
Close up of bright purple Clustered Bellflower at Ranscombe Reserve.

Recent successes

Ranscombe Farm Reserve in Kent has been an important botanical site for hundreds of years. In fact, the first UK records of the nationally rare Meadow Clary Salvia pratensis and Rough Mallow Malva setigera were found here! However, as with all reserves, many plants like brambles can grow quickly and suffocate more delicate plants if left unchecked. By clearing the scrub and carefully managing the land at Ranscombe, we have seen a resurgence in many species that were struggling.   

  • Man Orchid Orchis anthropophora numbers have risen by 300% since 2010 
  • Clustered Bellflower Campanula glomerata has increased from 20 to almost 800 in just 10 years 
  • Lady Orchid Orchis purpurea and Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera recorded their highest numbers ever  

Previously extinct Interrupted Brome Bromus interruptus now has a stable population of over 13,000 plants.

 

Bumblebee on top of pink knapweed flower.

Upcoming work

  • This year we are starting an exciting project to turn seven hectares of land at Ranscombe Farm into species-rich grassland, making it more biodiverse.  
  • In the orchard at Joan’s Hill Farm in Herefordshire we will be pruning trees, removing invasive plants and planting new trees to help a rare beetle discovered there last year.   
  • At Greena Moor in Cornwall we are restoring the land that members helped us purchase to match the quality of existing culm grassland found on the rest of the reserve. Increasing the number of Devils-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis should increase the population of Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia butterflies found here as it is its food plant.  
  • We will also share the lessons we learn while managing this land to the land managers of surrounding areas, broadening our impact and increasing the amount of land being well-managed for nature. 

You can help make all this possible.  Donate today.

Want to explore our Nature Reserves?

Sloping wildflower meadow at Joan's Hill reserve.

Our Nature Reserves

Discover our Nature Reserves across the UK.

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