One of Lincolnshire’s largest remaining areas of grassland could be protected for nature under a new appeal by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
The trust hopes to buy 87 hectares near Hawthorpe village in south Lincolnshire, preventing the land from returning to intensive arable farming. The fields have been kept as set-aside grassland for decades and are already home to skylarks in spring and short-eared owls in winter.
A chance to restore a bigger wildlife haven
If the appeal succeeds, the trust plans to restore wildflower-rich grassland and reconnect river habitats across the site. It describes the potential benefits for wildlife as considerable.
A short-term land purchase agreement with the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has given the trust time to raise the money needed for a permanent purchase. Donations will be used to buy and protect the land, while any surplus could support further nature recovery at Hawthorpe.
If the purchase cannot go ahead or the appeal target is not reached, the money raised will instead support nature reserves and conservation work in the surrounding area.
Why it matters for Britain
Protecting this land would preserve a substantial area of grassland in Lincolnshire, while creating scope for more wildflowers, linked river habitats and better conditions for birds such as skylarks and short-eared owls.
