Charity wants £70,000 to boost Thames Valley bird, butterfly and wildlife populations on farmland
Appeal targets farmland wildlife
The charity wants to raise £70,000 for a project intended to increase wildlife populations on farmland in the Thames Valley. The trust said the fund would seek to boost bumblebee numbers across the region.
The appeal comes amid concerns about declines in farmland wildlife. The trust reported that farmland bird populations had fallen by 63% since 1970.
Bumblebee declines reported
The trust said half of the UK's 27 bumblebee species were in decline. The project is aimed at improving conditions for wildlife on farmland. BBOWT chief executive Estelle Bailey said farmland makes up 68% of the trust’s three counties. She said nature recovery work therefore needs to reach beyond its nature reserves.
Bailey describes hoped-for future
Bailey said she wanted future generations to experience a countryside full of wildlife, including swallows above fields, and butterflies and bumblebees feeding on wildflowers. She also described hedgerows filled with birdsong and locally grown food supporting a healthy, resilient landscape.
Key points
- The charity is seeking £70,000 for a Thames Valley farmland wildlife project.
- The trust says farmland bird populations have fallen by 63% since 1970.
- Half of the UK's 27 bumblebee species are reported to be declining.
- Farmland covers 68% of BBOWT’s three counties, Bailey said.