Coombe Hill Nature Reserve near Tewkesbury is a stunning wetland site and is crucial to the thousands of birds that migrate from other parts of the world to spend the winter here, some of which are endangered.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust volunteers and staff have started work to make the nature reserve easier for visitors to use, through generous funding of £34,000 from Grundon Waste Management. The Grundon bird hide has reopened, following   improvements to the boardwalk, which will enable people to access the hide when the fields are flooded during winter months. Over the next few months visitors will also benefit from improved paths and car-parking facilities.

“Coombe Hill Nature Reserve provides a very important habitat for over-wintering wildfowl, such as wigeons, teal and pintails, and breeding waders such as lapwings, redshanks and oystercatchers. It’s a special place to visit particularly at this time of year, and we’re delighted to be able to improve the nature reserve for visitors,” says Del Jones, a senior reserve manager at Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

“Many people come here for the peace and quiet it offers, and to spend time away from the pressures of everyday life.”

As well as being vital for over-wintering birds, Coombe Hill Nature Reserve is also important to many other species, including otters and brown hares, which are protected by law. In all, more than 1,700 species have been recorded here.