HUGE WILDLIFE HAVEN TO BE CREATED AT MEETH

A vast wildlife haven is to be created at the former Meeth Quarry, a 150 hectare site recently purchased by the Devon Wildlife Trust thanks to funding from Viridor Credits Environmental Company and generous individual donors. The Trust is now set to implement a programme of improvements for wildlife and local access thanks to financial support from Natural England. Meeth Quarry is a former clay works located close to Hatherleigh within the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area and the North Devon Biosphere. 'The site is a spectacular, recovering landscape, with vast areas of open water, wet grassland, stone quarry face and woodland' said Matt Boydell, Devon Wildlife Trust's Land Manager. 'It incorporates six threatened wildlife habitats, supports 18 species of national importance and will provide a haven for a huge range of bird life, making it an excellent winter wildlife-watching destination for local communities '. There is currently no public access to the site, but the Quarry adjoins Devon Wildlife Trust's existing nature reserve at Ash Moor and is adjacent to the Tarka Trail, so the potential for public access and enjoyment is huge. Thanks in large part to the support of Natural England, Devon Wildlife Trust is able to carry out essential infrastructure and access work and plans to open the Quarry to the public in the spring. Natural England funding is also supporting essential work to preserve and enhance the sites biodiversity and wildlife value. 'Meeth Quarry has the potential to become a flagship nature reserve in the heart of the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area' explained Harry Barton, DWT's Chief Executive. 'One that will offer year-round opportunities to see fascinating wildlife and a living demonstration of landscape restoration in action. There is still a lot to be done, but we will continue to work hard to secure the funding and resources needed to realize the full potential of this fantastic asset in terms of benefits to both wildlife and the wider community. ' 

To find out more about Meeth or any of Devon Wildlife Trust's 47 other nature reserves then visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org 

Barn owls could be amongst the local wildlife to prosper at Devon Wildlife Trust's new nature reserve at Meeth, near Hatherleigh (photo copyright DWT)

Devon Wildlife Trust staff begin surveying their new nature reserve - the former clay quarries at Meeth, near Hatherleigh (photo copyright DWT)