Appeal to expand ancient oak woodlands

An appeal has been made to expand a nature reserve in north Leicestershire.

Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust said it had to "move quickly" after land next to Charley Wood Nature Reserve went up for sale with a £450,000 price tag.

The trust said while the oak woodlands are a "refuge" for wildlife, the surrounding land is "nature-depleted" and plans to turn the site into a mosaic of habitats.

The trust had bought the land with a loan of almost £500,000, but now must raise £350,000 towards its loan to secure the expansion.

The land purchased by the trust is split over two areas of six and 16 hectares (14 and 29 acres) between Coalville, Shepshed and Loughborough.

Long-term plans will see the trust build up a mixture of scrub and scattered trees, wildflower grassland and wetter areas at the edge of the reserve's existing Burrow Woods, Cat Hill Woods and the adjoining field, which is already being left to naturally become woodland.

It said "naturalistic grazing and natural processes" will establish these interconnected habitats over time.

Ben Devine, head of nature recovery, said the trust was now asking for public support for the scheme.

He added: "Charley Wood is a lifeboat for wildlife, but step beyond the treeline and the change is immediate - a nature-depleted landscape with far less to see and hear.

"This vital extension gives us the space to create the connected habitat wildlife needs to spread out and thrive."

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