Suffolk: £228,000 raised towards new Deben nature reserve

The Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) has so far raised £228,000 to create the reserve- named 'Martlesham Wilds'- on a 300-acre site on the banks of the River Deben.

The new reserve would enable the trust to manage the site, close to Martlesham Creek and provide more space for nature, a place where plants and birds can thrive.

The Deben is a popular feeding ground for a variety of bird species, including shelduck, curlew, lapwing and redshank, while the estuary is recognised as internationally important for waders and wildfowl.

Lapwings are regular visitors to the river Deben where the new Martlesham Wilds reserve is planned (Image: Darin Smith)

An SWT spokesperson said there had been 1,653 individual donations to the online fundraising appeal.

She said: "It is going really well. We have had lots of community engagement. We have two wildlife officers who have been going on walks, meeting people and talking about it.

"It has been generating lots of local interest, so it is really fantastic."

The initial ‘wilding’ will involve stepping back to allow natural vegetation to become established, with tree and shrub seedlings appearing and hedges thickening and starting to spread across fields, with wild flowers and grasses growing from seeds long buried in the soil.

Redshank are also regular visitors (Image: Tom Marshall)

Cattle or ponies will then be introduced to graze the land, which will help to develop and maintain the mosaic of grass, scrub and woodland habitats needed to support the diverse wildlife.

The new nature reserve will also be on the route of the new England Coast Path, linking the Suffolk coasts and beyond, which will enable walkers to enjoy the new wildlife habitat.

The spokesperson added: "We have got a long way to go, but we have been really heartened by how people have warmed to the project."

To donate to the Martlesham Wilds appeal, please visit https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/martlesham-wilds