Cumbria Wildlife Trust launch efforts to buy Skiddaw Forest
They want to restore thousands of acres for nature
A public appeal is being launched to help create England's "highest nature reserve" and restore thousands of acres for nature.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust is asking for the public's help to buy Skiddaw Forest in the Lake District, including the summit of Skiddaw.
The charity aims to restore 620 acres of lost Atlantic rainforest, as part of a 100-year vision to return wildlife to the lower slopes of what would be the highest nature reserve in England.
It will also restore more than 2,200 acres of other habitat,.
Open public access to the fell, including Skiddaw's summit, will be secured, the charity said.
A partnership between The Wildlife Trusts and Aviva raised £5 million towards the £6.25 million asking price, and additional support was secured from charitable funders to ensure Cumbria Wildlife Trust did not lose the chance to buy the land.
But the trust needs to raise the final £1.25 million and is appealing for help to secure the nature reserve.
The bid to buy Skiddaw Forest is being backed by mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington and writer and television presenter Julia Bradbury.
Stephen Trotter, chief executive of Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said:
"This is a unique and exciting opportunity to create England's highest nature reserve and, working with farmers and the local community, we urgently need to put more wildlife back into a much-loved and spectacular part of Cumbria.
"Now we're asking the public to give whatever they can to help us secure this site and to bring more nature to this very special place."
He added:
"Skiddaw Forest offers a unique opportunity for wildlife and climate resilience at a major scale in the Lake District National Park.
"We have to reverse the decline of nature in national parks to help address the impacts of the climate emergency and the wider wildlife crisis."