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BASC Wildlife Fund loan helps wildfowlers buy land for conservation
Whittlesey Wildfowlers and Conservationists have bought an 81-acre marsh thanks to a £150,000 loan from the BASC Wildlife Fund. The land is a prime habitat for wild birds.
The 81 acres of marshland bought by Whittlesey Wildfowlers and Conservationists is at Middleholm Wash in Cambridgeshire. It sits within an SSSI, and the club intends to maintain the current management plan, aiming to enhance the conservation of breeding and migratory wildfowl and waders.
The loan, to be repaid over 15 years, represents half the £300,000 purchase price of the land.
In its application for the loan the club said: “Our immediate intention is to continue with the current management regime. This land is, and has been for centuries, managed in a traditional way as wet grassland fen. This is mainly via the grazing of cattle and hay production with periodic flooding in the winter months. The land is a relief flood plain for excess water from the East Midlands.
“This land sits within a SSSI, and as such is subject to environmental controls and limitations. The current management is geared heavily towards the conservation of wildfowl and waders, both breeding bird populations and migratory. We will be looking to improve the conditions for these species going forward when financially viable and permitted within the SSSI restrictions.”
WWC was formed in 1960 and is affiliated to BASC. Current membership is 105. WWC chairman Malcolm Agger said: “The current land use will continue in the same way, but we will be looking to enhance its nature to attract more wildfowl and waders. This will be done through a management plan currently being worked out with the BWF. We are grateful to the BWF for the loan, and the straightforward way in which it was processed.”
James Green, BASC head of wildfowl and wetlands, said: “I am delighted that the BASC Wildlife Fund was able to support the Whittlesey Wildfowlers and Conservationists with their recent land purchase. This acquisition not only safeguards the future of some of the club’s shooting grounds but also provides a foundation for ongoing conservation management.
“I look forward to working with the club to help develop their habitat management plan, which will document their outstanding conservation work to date and capture their aspirations for the future.”
Apply for support from the BASC Wildlife Fund
Each year, the BASC Wildlife Fund awards grants to fund conservation projects and loans for land purchase linked to sustainable shooting in the UK. It is also involved in international projects where these relate to UK migratory species. All projects must demonstrate the wider benefits of shooting and connecting people to their environment, and must result in long-term sustainable change.
The aim is to assist shoots, clubs and syndicates to enhance the natural environment around them, combatting the loss of biodiversity and degradation of habitats through long-term, sustainable change.
The funding provided to WWC follows a loan in 2023 of £35,000 to Wentloog Wildfowling and Conservation Association to preserve an 932 acres of foreshore near Newport, South Wales.
Conservation grants are available via an annual funding round, and to date BASC Wildlife Fund has awarded £467k in this form since 2020.
If you would like to enquire about a BASC Wildlife Fund loan or conservation grant, get in touch via the website at bascwildlifefund.co.uk.
You can also support the fund by making a donation here, or by purchasing official BASC Wildlife Fund stamps, prints and other merchandise here.
With your support, we can ensure thriving natural habitats for generations to come.
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