A GRANT has been awarded to help make Herefordshire farms more wildlife friendly and sustainable.

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust (HWT) said it had been given £249,500 from the second round of the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

The money awarded to HWT should support a number of projects across the county and will run until 2023.

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HWT said the funds will, among other things, allow them to recruit new staff and improve public access and education at nature reserves within Herefordshire’s Lugg Valley wetlands.

A key area of work for the trust is to map, support and improve places designated ‘Local Wildlife Sites’.

These are wildlife-rich habitats, usually in private ownership, with landowners often unaware of these places’ importance.

HWT will work with project partners Herefordshire Meadows to survey and support new sites through management plans across the county.

HWT said the funding also allows them to continue and extend their work with landowners, supporting work along the Yazor Brook in Hereford and funding a farm advisor to help farmers in making their farms more wildlife friendly and sustainable.

Andrew Nixon, HWT’s conservation senior manager, said: “This support means that we can take a huge step towards a Nature Recovery Network for Herefordshire, gathering and coordinating data on our wildlife and landscapes, then restoring and connecting all our special wildlife sites so that nature can thrive across the county.

“Working with our project partners Herefordshire Meadows we will be restoring wildflower meadows, river valley wetlands and woodlands, as well as urban spaces.”