Charity clears way ahead for wildflowers

A leading wildlife charity is launching a winter programme of work designed to restore one of the county's best and most unusual sites for wildflowers. Increasing the range and numbers of wildflowers will form the focus of newly-funded work at Devon Wildlife Trust's Sourton Quarry nature reserve which lies in west Devon between Tavistock and Okehampton. As the name suggests, Sourton Quarry was once a thriving limestone quarry. But since its abandonment in 1906 it has been transformed into a wildlife haven and its spoil heaps in particular have become a wonderful new home to plants that thrive in its limestone soils. The long list of plant colonists has come to include rarities and more common examples including the rusty-backed fern, black knapweed, wild strawberry, great mullein and fairy flax. However, in recent years these wonderful wildflowers have come under threat. Other plants, including ivy, bramble and cotoneaster, as well as trees, have all started to take a hold on the nature reserve, shading out its delicate flowers. In response DWT formulated a plan of action designed to reverse this process. But before putting it into place funding was needed. It was at this point that Biffa Award stepped in to make the crucial difference agreeing to fund a winter's programme of practical work. Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey reacted to the good news: 'The generous funding from Biffa Award is just what was needed. It will pay for vital work clearing invasive plant scrub and providing the space and conditions for wildflowers to flourish. It will set the nature reserve and its wildflowers firmly on the right path.' The Sourton Quarry Wildflower Discovery Project forms part of a wider multi-million pound environment fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. For more information about Sourton nature reserve and the work of Devon Wildlife Trust visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org 

Beautiful black knapweed is just one of the many wildflowers which will benefit from improvements at Devon Wildlife Trust's Sourton nature reserve. Photo copyright Sherie New - (www.seeing.org)