Happy end for busy project

10:24am Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Salisbury Plain Wildlife and Heritage Project has come to an end after five years.

The project, funded by Sustain the Plain, was set up to encourage communities within Salisbury Plain to recognise the natural and historical wealth of the area.

In the five years, the project encompassed 109 events, 99 training days and saw experts give advice to 68 community groups.

The project area covered the whole of Salisbury Plain, from Pewsey to Wilton and from Tidworth to Warminster and Westbury.

Nicky Warden, the project's officer, said: "There has been lots of activity and enthusiasm from individuals during the life of this project.

"We have also had some excellent community projects established which have seen a great deal of on-going activity and genuine improvement to sites."

She added: "At Collingbourne Ducis, for example, villagers got together to improve a rather unloved and unused site in their village known as The Mere.

"They carried out a botanical survey, improved access to the site, cleared litter and fallen branches and created a wildflower meadow.

"Scouts built bird and bat boxes, and brownies created a design for a bench which was made and put up by the villagers.

"In Warminster, one group of residents at a nursing home studied and recorded the wildlife in their garden over the summer months and created a wonderful piece of artwork using photographs, drawings and collage based on what they had seen.

"Across the Plain we have helped other community groups with wildlife and heritage surveys, have helped set up new community groups, and helped create community nature reserves.

"Hands-on conservation work has included cutting scrub on Ministry of Defence land, coppicing at Porton down, hay raking, river restoration, hedge laying and hedge planting, amongst others."

Although the project has ended, Nicky Warden continues to work for the Trust as a Salisbury Wildlife Officer, giving local people opportunities to get involved in wildlife and conservation work in Salisbury and the surrounding area.

For more information on the activities she organises, contact Nicky on 01722 792015.