James Adler
Gun Moor Meadow
Making space for wildlife in The Staffordshire Moorlands
Gun Moor Meadow sits on the north westerly edge of Gun Moor. When the Trust purchased the land it looked pretty unspectacular but thanks to its location, the site had huge potential.
The purchase of this land safeguards the rest of the site from developments and secures more space for wildlife.
Over coming years the meadow will be managed with wildlife in mind. The fencing will be removed, and the drainage ditches filled to allow the site to rewet. Cattle will lightly graze the field at appropriate times of year to allow the re-establishment of cranberry, bog asphodel and cotton grass. These changes will bring a proliferation of birds such as skylark in the open areas and meadow pipits.
We’re confident that this addition to Gun Moor will further help the whole landscape become even more of a haven for Staffordshire’s threatened wildlife. Once, long ago, there were hen harrier in the skies, black grouse in the undergrowth, and pine marten and red squirrel in the woodlands… As we grow this amazing landscape we are one step closer to welcoming their return.
We had to act fast to buy the land so we took out a loan, which we needed help to repay. Thanks to over 400 donations, we reached and exceeded our target of £81,000! Enabling us to repay the loan.
None of this would be possible without the help and funding provided by Esmee Fairbarin Foundation and Peter Solly and the We Have the Power. If you’re interested in supporting similar projects head to The Wildlife Trusts' page on philanthropic loans.
CN Harding
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you buy this land?
There were three key reasons for purchasing this land. First tackling the ecological crisis. The Wildlife Trusts want to see 30% of land being managed in a way which is beneficial to nature in the UK by 2030. This means some currently nature-poor areas need to be restored to allow nature space to rebound and spread.
Second is tackling the climate crisis. Restoring nature increases the amount of carbon held in healthy soils, new woodlands and wetlands and reduces outputs of harmful greenhouse gases.
Third, we aim to help protect landscapes that local communities love. Gun Moor is a historical piece of land, and we want to protect its future so people can continue to connect with the nature it supports. More of us than ever are disconnected from the natural world but connection to nature has huge benefits for mental and physical wellbeing.
What are your plans for the site?
The field will be rewetted. The fence separating the field from Gun Moor will be removed and the drainage ditch filled in to allow the site to rehydrate. We will use cattle to lightly graze the field allowing the re-establishment of species such as cranberry, bog asphodel, cotton grass and sundew. These changes will bring a proliferation of birds such as skylark in the open areas and meadow pipits.
Can I come and visit?
Gun Moor offers fantastic walking opportunities, with views for miles. It’s often much quieter than the nearby Roaches and there is an equally good variety of wildlife to spot. There are no public access points or footpaths across the meadow itself but it can be seen from the footpaths that run along its borders.
How did you raise the money to buy this land?
We had to act fast to buy the land, taking out a loan from Peter Solly. He helped us to acquire this site through ‘We Have the Power’ Funding Nature project. You can find out about other sites acquired by Funding Nature here.
From August 2022 to January 2023 we ran a public appeal to raise the £81,000 to repay this loan. We received over 400 donations from our generous supporters. Thank you to everyone who donated!