Mathew Wood, Vp’s Group Risk and Sustainability Director, attended a volunteering day organised by the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. Vp sponsors the Trust’s valuable work on the coast of Fylde restoring the critical sand dune habitat.
Lunt Meadows is a spectacular wetland nature reserve, nestled along the River Alt in North Merseyside, it wasn’t always the wildlife wonderland it is today. Between 2012 and 2014 it was intensively farmed arable land, and only when it was bought by the Environment Agency for development as a flood storage reservoir (that would double as a nature reserve) did Lunt Meadows become a real destination for nature-lovers.
On the day, the volunteers from 5 different supporting companies were involved in the physical activity of Ragwort removal. Whilst a native species that has bright yellow flowers and is an excellent pollinator, Ragwort can be poisonous to animals, therefore requires control. The Group spent the morning clearing a large area which was due to be used house sheep in the next few weeks.
In the afternoon, the group were taken on a tour of the reserve by the Trust’s Project Manager Cheryl Ashton. Cheryl explained the history of the wetlands, its role in flood defence and pointed out some of the wildlife that inhabit the area.
Mathew said, “It was hard work to clear the area but the team of volunteers pulled together to complete the task. It was great to visit the nature reserve and meet Cheryl, who was very appreciative of Vp’s support of the Trust.”