Appeal will help wildlife find a home at nature reserve

Brockholes Nature Reserve, a 106-hectare wildlife haven near Preston, is calling on the community to help raise £2,000 to support its vital conservation work.

Managed by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Brockholes provides a crucial refuge for birds, insects, mammals, plants and amphibians, while also welcoming thousands of visitors each year.

Annual upkeep of the reserve costs £25,000, and while the Trust has allocated £23,000 worth of funding from its Step Up for Wildlife Appeal towards this, an additional £2,000 is urgently needed. This is so that essential works can be planned in ahead of summer and wildlife can benefit ‘sooner rather than later’.

The Trust’s ‘Step Up for Wildlife’ appeal, which has been ongoing since autumn 2023, aims to raise £300,000 to support their goal – to ensure 30 per cent of land and sea is in recovery for nature by 2030.

“Brockholes is a truly special place for both wildlife and people, but without this vital funding, we risk losing key habitats that so many species rely on,” said Lydia German, Senior Communications Officer for the Trust.

“Every donation, no matter the size, will help us continue our crucial work.”

Funds raised will support key conservation activities, for example meadow management, which will improve wildflower diversity through mowing, seeding, and supporting insect populations with a grazing herd of longhorn cattle.

It will also enable the team to restore and replace tern rafts, barn owl boxes, sand martin banks, and other nesting sites to ensure successful breeding.

Maintaining vital wetland habitats for bitterns and warblers is also a key activity, as well as woodland restoration, visitor engagement and educational activities to connect locals with nature.

With around 200,000 visitors each year, Brockholes is one of Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s most accessible reserves. Whether enjoying the sights and sounds of warblers in the reedbed, watching starling murmurations at dusk or spotting butterflies in the meadows, every visitor benefits from these conservation efforts.

To donate or learn more, visit https://www.lancswt.org.uk/appeals/stepping-up.