Staveley Nature Reserve is Lottery winner
A POPULAR North Yorkshire nature reserve has been handed a half-million pound cash boost.
Staveley Nature Reserve, managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of 474,600.
The Trust has owned and managed the 40-hectare site near Knaresborough since 2002.
The Lottery windfall will pay for another 40 hectares of adjoining land to extend the reserve to double its existing size.
It will also help improve the site ecologically, and pay for new interactive volunteer programmes for visitors.
Fiona Spiers, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Yorkshire and Humber region said: "HLF is a supporting partner for the International Year of Biodiversity and delighted to play a major part in improving and extending this unique nature reserve in North Yorkshire.
"Lottery players' money will bring benefits to people of all ages, whether through volunteering, or simply enjoying the wonderful natural habitat that Staveley has to offer, while conserving the delicate ecological environment of the site for future generations."
Formerly known as the Staveley Carrs and part of the natural floodplain of the River Ure, the nature reserve has been popular with naturalists since the 18th century.
More than 200 bird species have been recorded at the site and almost 50 species are known to breed there.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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