Gloucestershire welcomes its newest nature reserve thanks to more than 700 generous donations from local “Meadow Makers”.

Set in the heart of the Stroud Valleys, the new reserve at Knapp Lane Meadows will “join the dots” between the Stroud Commons and Golden Valley ‘super nature reserves’, known as Nature Recovery Zones (NRZs).

It’s all thanks to a wave of fantastic donations from supporters, including Fraser Morphew, Rosalind John, Joanna Payne, Robert Oliver Hinton, Karen Burridge and many more, who helped raise more than £58,000 for the appeal. The appeal funds are also bolstered by funding from private benefactors and The Ecological Restoration Fund. 

Thanks to the appeal, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) has bought the land and will now be able to use natural flood management and conservation grazing to improve the site for nature. 

Landscape-scale connectivity like this is an important part of nature’s recovery, creating larger and more resilient areas for wildlife, combatting threats from habitat loss and climate change.

Nature Recovery Zones are one of The Wildlife Trust’s approaches to working closely with landowners and farmers beyond the boundaries of the charity’s nature reserves.

Not only is the Knapp Lane Meadow reserve uniquely placed as a stepping stone for wildlife, but it also boasts a range of habitats that are vital for local nature.

This includes wildflower meadows with mosaics of scrub, woodland, and wetland where the meadow meets the River Frome.

Otters and dippers have been seen on the River Frome, while the grassland and scrub mosaic is full of birdsong, such as blackcap and whitethroat in spring and grasshoppers, crickets and butterflies thrive in the meadows.

Knapp Lane Meadows also has multiple springs and brooks which flow through it, providing a great opportunity to install some natural flood management features such as leaky dams, slowing the rate of water flowing downstream.

Grove Sykes, Lead Land Manager East at GWT, said: “Knapp Lane Meadows provides an exciting new opportunity for GWT in the Stroud Valleys, the meadows have so many habitats within it which provides wildlife with a wealth of opportunities. 

“There is plenty of work to do and the team cannot wait to get started.

“One of the first things to do is to reintroduce cattle grazing to the site, who will help break down the grasses and scrub to allow some of the flowers which have been suppressed to thrive.”

Andrew McLaughlin, CEO of GWT, said: “The generosity of the county’s wildlife supporters means we can now use Knapp Lane Meadow to connect important sites for nature. 

“I would like to say a huge thank you to all the local Meadow Makers who have played a vital role in helping us join the dots in this way. 

“They leave an important legacy of nature connectivity in Gloucestershire; a legacy that is much-needed given the threat posed to the one-in-six species at risk of extinction in the UK. 

“Nature has an amazing power of bringing people together, and this gives me great hope that we can begin to reverse the decline affecting nature and speed its way to recovery.”

Meadow Makers shared their reasons for contributing; one supporter, Helen Carver, said “it is vitally important that nature reserves are linked up. This project would help towards that goal.”

Another Meadow Maker, Gillian Horner added that it is “lovely to see these local areas protected for wildlife. The connection between reserves is so important”, and an anonymous donor called the appeal a “very worthwhile venture - keep up the good work!”