News from Suffolk Wildlife Trust –
A significant area of farmland, riverside marshes and saltings, locally, has been bought by Suffolk Wildlife Trust to be managed for wildlife, as a nature reserve, which we will call Martlesham Wilds.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is the county’s nature charity, and we have a network of 50 nature reserves safeguarding some of Suffolk’s most precious wildlife and wild places. As Martlesham Wilds is so close to you, we wanted you to hear the news first, from us, and give you the opportunity to meet us, ask questions about our plans, and find out more.
Our nature reserves are fragments of the wilder landscape Suffolk once had and so, alongside protecting places that are already special, we also want to bring nature back where it has been lost. This is our ambition for Martlesham Wilds. The combination of internationally important habitat alongside the Deben and the chance to allow nature to reclaim the arable fields is what makes this such an exciting prospect for us – and for nature.
Wilds is an old Suffolk term for a rougher, wildlife-rich landscape. It echoes our vision for the new nature reserve. The patchwork of hedge-lined fields that roll gently down to the river will gradually ‘wild’ into an intricate mosaic of natural habitats, with thickets of thorny scrub, maintained by grazing. The emergence of this new pastoral landscape will be thrilling to watch.
An organic farm for over 30 years, the land is already home to a wonderful array of plants, animals and invertebrates. Nature is poised to return and the new habitats will be seeded by the fabulous network of mature hedges, ancient oaks and grass margins which frame the fields.
We had to act quickly to secure the land and thanks to a substantial legacy gift from Pam and George Ford we were able to do so. The purchase was completed with a loan of £1million, which we now need to pay back within a year, and we will be seeking help from the Suffolk community to achieve this fundraising target.
We would be delighted to meet with you, either for a walk at Martlesham Wilds Nature Reserve, or at a place to suit you, so we can discuss any questions you may have, and explore how you might like to help support us with the campaign to create a brand new nature reserve for Suffolk.
If you would like to join us on any of our pre-planned walks, you can find details on our website Events | Suffolk Wildlife Trust – if you type in “Martlesham” in the keyword search, these will all come up and you can book your place. The dates and times are:
Sunday 23/10 – 1500-1700
Friday 4/11 – 1300-1500
Tuesday 15/11 – 0930-1130
Saturday 3/12 – 1400-1600
Thursday 15/12 – 1000-1200
A map of the site of the new reserve
You can also find out more here Please help us create Martlesham Wilds | Suffolk Wildlife Trust
