Druridge Bay former opencast mine land to get £2m for 'rewilding'

Land on top of an old opencast mine is to get a £2m wildlife makeover.

The 327-hectare site at Druridge Bay is to be made "wilder" as part of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust's plan to show how nature can recover from industrialisation.

It bought the site in West Chevington, which is wood and grassland, thanks to a donation from The Reece Foundation.

The charity said it was one of its most ambitious lowland rewilding projects in its fight against global warming.

The land was acquired from regeneration specialist Harworth Group plc.

The charity said it would allow conservationists to test a number of rewilding methods with the aim of storing carbon, boosting biodiversity and connecting wildlife habitats on an "unprecedented scale locally."

The trust also wants to involve the local community, farmers and landowners in the project.

Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust's chief executive said: "Over the next five, 10 or many decades, we will bring about a natural regeneration of woodland and scrub, restore farmed land and promote diverse grasslands and wetlands that support a huge variety of wildlife.

"Nature will recover and flourish, rather than decline, something we will all be very proud of being part of and which will contribute positively to people's lives and the local economy."

The trust also plans to create wildflower meadows and grasslands to boost bees and butterfly populations, as well as water voles and harvest mice.

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