Hundreds of people have donated to the Trust’s appeal to secure Gun Moor, an ancient landscape with unploughed peatland soils that supports rare wildlife such as cuckoo, snipe and redpoll.

Gun Moor, which is near the Trust’s Roaches nature reserve, has no statutory protection, meaning it could be lost forever if the Trust fails to secure the £156,000 necessary to purchase it.

In 2018, the Trust entered into a time limited buy back agreement with the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation after the land was put up for sale.

Jon Rowe, Warden for the Trust’s nearby Roaches nature reserve, said: “The agreement we have is time limited, so if we can’t raise the funds in time the land could go back on the open market and we’d have no stake in its future. 

“If we raise the funds, we will be protecting a hugely important piece of land and in turn, helping iconic species whose numbers are in decline.

“We want to say a big thank you to those who have donated so far. Everyone at the Trust very much appreciates the support we have received so far, but we’re in need of more donations if we’re to secure Gun Moor’s future.”

Gun Moor has breath-taking views in all directions and is also an important habitat for flora as well, including wild cranberry, bog asphodel, several types of sedge and the cross-leaved heath.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the appeal and find out more can do so via https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gun-moor