Thousands of trees to be grown at memorial reserve

The first of 22,000 trees have been planted on land which is set to be turned into a new nature reserve in memory of man who died suddenly.

The plot of land in Great Bowden was donated to Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust by Michael Adler a year after he lost his son James in 2023.

Adler said he wanted to create a legacy for his son, who loved the outdoors and was chief executive of Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.

In a bid to create a "wildlife haven", the trust has launched a project to plant thousands of trees, with the reserve set to be open to the public later in 2026.

Community members came out in force to help plant the first trees at the 50-acre (20.2-hectare) James Adler nature reserve.

His father said it was "appropriate" that the site is named after his son, who died from a rare syndrome affecting connective tissues.

"Emotionally I was extremely attached to the land," he said.

"For much of my early childhood I had lived with my grandparents in Great Bowden and had the free run over acres of land.

"James was a natural alliance builder, who could communicate a vision and bring together people of the most diverse backgrounds and interests.

"He would have loved to have been responsible for the land at Great Bowden and it is most appropriate that the new reserve is to be named after him."

The wildlife trust said when grown, the trees, including willows and alder, will develop into wet woodland and provide new habitat for birds, beetles, fungi and more.

Hilary Hearnshaw, 77, who helped plant the trees as a volunteer said the site will be "fantastic".

"We need more trees everywhere and this is an ideal site," she said.

"We don't have many woodlands in this area.

"I'm looking forward to coming and walking in the wildlife around here.

"All the work that the wildlife trust is doing at these sites is to save it for future generations as well as us."

Mat Carter, CEO of the trust, said: "It's fantastic that we've already been able to involve business, community and young people with the site.

"This is exactly the sort of collaborative approach to conservation we're looking to foster around our reserves with people forging new connections with the nature on their doorstep."

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