Staffordshire Moorlands MP Karen Bradley has welcomed news of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.
The HLF has recently awarded the £57,300 grant to the trust, which will go towards a two-year project to buy land in the Staffordshire Moorlands between Leek and Buxton and engage local people in activities to raise awareness of locally threatened birds. The project will involve:
• Purchase 30 acres of unimproved grassland and devise a management plan
• Breeding season survey
• Habitat management works
• Off-site learning
The 30-acre site was part of Hazel Barrow Farm in Upper Hulme, and its importance is its location between two existing managed reserves, with potential to create a habitat corridor between the two, given its near idea conditions for wading birds. It is part of Leek Moors SSSI, designated for vegetation and geology. The key species to be protected are lapwing, curlew and snipe – red or amber list species threatened with local decline.
Karen said:
“I’m a great supporter of the Wildlife Trust, so I’m very pleased that they have been awarded this grant by the HLF. This will enable them to both help protect threatened bird species and raise awareness of them. The Moorlands is such a special place for wildlife, so this work is really important.”