A PROJECT to enhance a wild community space at the Angus Buchanan VC Memorial Recreation Ground in Coleford is nearing completion.

The project started two years ago after the trust looking after the recreation ground had receieved a grant of almost £5,000 from the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust towards a community biodiversity project.

Trustee and volunteer project co-ordinator, Sarah Cheese said: “Over 100 young people have taken part in planting the one acre coppice woodland, which now contains 900 trees of 16 native species.

“I am delighted that this project has provided a springboard for us to build links with Gloucestershire College Five Acres campus providing volunteering opportunities for young people to gain experience of working on a community conservation project which benefits wildlife and enhances their local community space”.

The Gloucestershire College students have been helping clear scrub from a meadow edge. Sharon Batcock, curriculum leader for foundation studies said that the students were really animated and engaged during this work and added that these outdoor practical tasks were valuable for these students who learn new skills and contribute to their local community. Hartpury College agricultural students also helped with the tree planting.

An interpretation board has also been installed to provide information about the meadow habitat. One area at the recreation ground is a key wildlife site which is an example of unimproved grassland containing over 50 species of wild plants, of which only two per cent of this priority habitat remains nationally.

Advice from Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has helped to develop a management plan to enhance wildlife across all the meadows and conserve them for future generations.

Visitors to the meadows are also invited to pause and take a breather thanks to the installation of a bench, made of locally sourced sweet chestnut logs which was designed by a local sculptor Phil Bews and installed by Tom Cousins,

• Members of the Dean Meadows Group will be leading free wildflower walks around the meadows for National Meadows Day on July 1. For details visit the website deanmeadows.org.uk.