Nature Reserves - an update on our strategy
Over the decades since the Trust formed, it has acquired some nature reserves intentionally through fundraising to purchase particular sites while in some cases land has been gifted to the Trust by generous donors. Today, we aim for our landholdings to be strategically located to deliver the most they can for wildlife and people. All of the work we do is built around the Lawton Principles of ‘more, bigger, better and joined-up’.
Where we can, we want our nature reserves to be larger, better managed and to be geographically linked up to other habitats so that sites form corridors or stepping stones for wildlife through the landscape. Since 2019 we have acquired additional land through this approach, for example: Round’s Meadow, extending Common Hill Nature Reserve; Oak Tree Farm, adding to our network within the Lugg Valley Living Landscape and Ail Meadow, adding to our network within the Woolhope Dome Living Landscape.
Since the Trust formed, our approach to acquisition and disposal has changed and some sites gifted to us in the past today offer limited opportunity for nature’s recovery in comparison to other sites within our connected living landscapes. With our new 2023-2026 strategy in place we are working hard to ensure the sites we have in our portfolio going forward, support nature’s recovery, are aligned the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and have notable ecological value. Whilst owning and managing nature reserves for wildlife and for people remains core to our approach we are increasingly endeavouring to work with other landowners to improve wildlife connectivity, effecting positive change for nature’s recovery at a landscape scale.
While these sites were excellent additions to our estate, we have now reached the point where we own or lease more sites than we have resources to ensure each site is managed really well – our reserves team is spread too thin across too many sites and we don’t have the resources to increase the size of that team. Some of the sites we look after are not in Herefordshire. We have therefore taken the decision to review our estate and dispose of a number of sites to allow us to better invest our time and energy on those larger, better connected nature reserves where we can make a greater difference for wildlife and people.
Each site put forward for disposal by the staff team is carefully assessed and considered by our Acquisitions and Disposals Committee (comprised of Trustees), with input from our Nature Recovery Advisory Group, which then makes a recommendation to our full Board of Trustees for final decision. The sites we have chosen to divest are those which are either small or isolated, lie outside of a strategic landscape recovery area, are outside the county of Herefordshire, are of lower ecological value or have poor access for routine maintenance and visitors:
- Romers Wood
- Motlins Hole
- Upper Swingley Coppice
- Merivale Wood
- Rookhill Coppice
- Pool Ellocks (intended to be leased)
- Foxholes (part of Tretawdy Estate)
Our disposal strategy does not necessarily mean we will be selling the site, we could look at other ways in which we can divest the management of the site through, for example, leasing agreements or management by community groups. Where we do decide to sell a site we will work closely with our land agents to identify tender applications that support the ongoing sustainable management of the sites.
All income from disposals will be re invested into our work to recover nature.
We will always aim to use our resources wisely to achieve the greatest impact for wildlife that we can. We believe people’s gifts are best honoured in this way – to be used for the greatest impact for nature.
We welcome feedback on these decisions, and all aspects of our strategy.
Do please get in touch with Jamie Audsley, CEO at j.audsley@herefordshirewt.co.uk / 07950 658 865 to discuss our strategy in more detail.
Alternatively, please join us for our upcoming online discussion webinar: “Making our nature reserves work hard for nature” at 6pm on 3rd September. Click here for full details and booking
Wyevale Wood
As detailed above, earlier this year, we took the difficult but important decision to divest a number of nature reserves. This is to allow us to make the best use of our resources and move towards owning and managing larger, better-connected sites where we can make a greater difference for wildlife and people.
We followed a detailed process: key staff in our Nature Recovery Team made recommendations to our Acquisitions and Disposals Committee (made up of a number of key staff and Trustees) who carefully considered the proposals, consulting with our Nature Recovery Advisory Group, before sending their recommendations to the full Board of Trustees for final approval.
Wyevale Wood had been considered for divestment through this process. However, following helpful feedback from stakeholders, members and the local community, our Board of Trustees has listened to this feedback, reconsidered this decision, and we will be withdrawing this nature reserve from sale on the open market. We are now exploring future management of the site for nature which will secure its future.
We thank everyone for sharing their feedback with us – we have listened and taken it on board. We ask for your patience for a short while longer while we consider the best way forward that will allow the site to continue to be managed for the benefit of wildlife and to enable ongoing public access.
Merrivale Wood
As detailed above, earlier this year, we took the difficult but important decision to dispose of a number of nature reserves. This is to allow us to make the best use of our resources and move towards owning and managing larger, better-connected sites where we can make a greater difference for wildlife and people.
We followed a detailed process: key staff in our Nature Recovery Team made recommendations to our Acquisitions and Disposals Committee (made up of a number of key staff and Trustees) who carefully considered the proposals, consulting with our Nature Recovery Advisory Group, before sending their recommendations to the full Board of Trustees for final approval.
Merrivale Wood was selected as one of the sites to dispose of. We have received comments and feedback from a number of people, and these have been shared and thoughtfully considered by staff and our Board of Trustees. The decision was again considered by the Trust’s Acquisition and Disposals Committee, and then by the Board of Trustees. Both decided to proceed with the original decision to dispose of the site. While we appreciate and respect that some of our members and the local community question the decision to dispose of Merrivale Wood, the Board remains committed to the original decision to divest. Merrivale Wood, while enjoyed by the community, is not of notable ecological value or strategically located such that it can significantly further nature’s recovery in line with our plan for the county. It does incur high running costs: ensuring the site is safe for the public will require us to spend circa £20,000 over the next 3 years to manage trees suffering from ash dieback disease which are at risk of dropping branches or falling, essential upgrades to visitor infrastructure will cost circa £35,000 on top of annual running costs of over £1,500. Limiting anti-social behaviour also continues to absorb time and money.
We aim to restore nature in three key landscapes within the county and to be more targeted about where we look after land and invest the limited resources of our reserves team as effectively as possible. Divesting sites such as this will free up our resources to invest in sites where we can make a much bigger difference for nature.
As Merrivale Wood contains ancient and veteran trees, it is afforded protection through the planning system and we would expect the site to remain as woodland under a new owner. We will require any prospective buyer to submit a statement of intent and aim to sell the site to the most sympathetic buyer.
Get in Touch
We welcome feedback on these decisions, and all aspects of our strategy.
Do please get in touch with Jamie Audsley, CEO at j.audsley@herefordshirewt.co.uk / 07950 658 865 to discuss our strategy in more detail.
Alternatively, please join us for our upcoming online discussion webinar: “Making our nature reserves work hard for nature” at 6pm on 3rd September. Click here for full details and booking