Scrapyard challenge: restoration appeal launched to clear up 100,000 tyres, thousands of litres of oil waste and restore nature to top wildlife haven.
A Shropshire scrapyard covering six hectares, which has closed after 50 years has been bought as a nature reserve by Shropshire Wildlife Trust. The former car breaker’s yard is covered in 100,000 tyres, thousands of litres of disused oil and tonnes of wing mirrors and bumpers, which will all need to be removed before it can be restored for nature.
The scrapyard lies upon one of Britain’s largest peatbogs, known as the Marches Mosses. This vast and extremely wildlife-rich landscape spans nearly 950 hectares and is an internationally important peatbog - one of the rarest habitats on earth. The Marches Mosses are designated as a Special Area of Conservation and the individual parts are National Nature Reserves, managed by Natural England.
In order to return the site to a condition where wildlife can thrive, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, with specialist help, now needs to clean acres of concrete of 50 years’ worth of waste and clear out several oil sump pits before covering the site with peat and allowing the bog habitat to regenerate and species such as sundew (a carnivorous plant), cotton grass and curlews to return.
Colin Preston, CEO of Shropshire Wildlife Trust said:
“It has taken years of investigation, negotiation and planning to come to this point. Taking on a project of this scale as a local charity is a huge challenge. But if we don’t step up and do this the scrapyard pollution will continue to damage this wild and important wildlife haven. Every penny donated will help nature fight back.”
Shropshire Wildlife Trust is appealing people to help them by making a donation online at Shropshire Wildlife Trust Just Giving www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk or texting YARD16 £5 to 70070 to donate.
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has provided a bridging loan to allow Shropshire Wildlife Trust time to raise the £500,000 needed to buy, restore and maintain the site and surrounding land for nature in perpetuity.
