South Wiltshire nature reserve Langford Lakes to expand

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has taken ownership of more land at Steeple Langford

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 26th Feb 2024

A South Wiltshire nature reserve has got a little bigger, with the county's Wildlife Trust taking ownership of more land.

Langford Lakes - which sits in the Wylye Valley at Steeple Langford - now includes Dixon Meadows next door.

The space has been transferred to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust from the CH Dixon Charitable Trust (DCT), which bought the site in 2000.

The aim of the takeover is to protect the land for wildlife conservation, and public access.

DCT say they believe the Trust is the 'best organisation' to continue those objectives.

The expansion of Langford Lakes also fits alongside the Trust’s recently announced Wylye Valley Chalk Stream Project.

Langford Lakes is a popular and well-used nature reserve and fishing hotspot for South Wiltshire

That's working towards reconnecting and restoring the River Wylye’s floodplain over a 20-kilometre stretch of currently under-utilised farmland.

Samantha Stork, Head of Conservation at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said:

“We are delighted to have added Dixon Meadows to the portfolio of land that we manage for nature across Wiltshire. We’re very grateful to CH Dixon Charitable Trust for taking good care of the land for wildlife and people up until now.

"We will soon conduct ecological surveys and start carrying out conservation work that will further enhance the land for nature and attract more wildlife. We will ensure that Dixon Meadows is an enhanced haven for both the local wildlife and the community to enjoy for many years to come.”

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