Wildlife trust launches fundraising bid to turn scrapyard into nature reserve

Shropshire Wildlife Trust is hoping to raise £500,000 to buy, restore and maintain the site at the former Furber's Breakers Yard in Whixall, near Whitchurch.

The charity has been able to temporarily buy the scrapyard and land surrounding it, with a bridging loan service extended by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

The foundation has temporarily bought the surrounding land on behalf of the wildlife trust, giving the team time to raise the £500,000 needed.

Wildlife bosses said the former car breaker's yard is on the edge of the Meres and Mosses wildlife area – one of the nation's most important national nature reserves which makes up Britain's third largest peatbog.

Sara Pearce, project development officer for Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said peatbogs are one of the rarest habitats on earth, yet are still being destroyed for peat and compost at an alarming rate. About 94 per cent of this unique habitat has been destroyed or damaged in the UK in recent times.

The scrapyard is itself part-designated as a special area of conservation because it sits on top of two metres of deep peat.

In order to return the site to a condition where wildlife can thrive, about 100,000 used tyres and thousands of tonnes of waste need to be removed from the site and several oil sump pits cleared out before the land can be covered with peat. The charity then hopes to create new £150,000 visitor facilities.

The trust hopes to open the new visitor facilities in an existing open shed by 2020, with support from Heritage Lottery Fund and other funding. Colin Preston, chief executive of Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said: "It has taken years of investigations, negotiations and planning to come to this point.

"Taking on a project of this scale as a local charity is a massive deal. But if we don't step up and do this, nobody will and the scrap yard will continue to damage this wild and important place.

"While we've been working on this project, so many people have shared their fond memories of climbing mountains of cars to retrieve a part they need.

"What we really need now is as many people to dig deep and help us raise the funds we need to get this place cleaned up. Even if people can only donate a fiver, it will help us help nature fight back."

To donate, go to www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk or text YARD16 £5 to 70070.