Sitting in a priority area for conservation action, the Mimram Valley, Archers Green is the latest nature reserve to come under the Trust’s ownership and management. Thanks to the generosity of the local community, Trust supporters and funders, the future of this wildlife haven is secure with funds of £500,000 raised, through a year-long campaign. The funds are being used to pay back a philanthropic loan for the purchase of the site, which prevented it from going onto the open market, carrying out vital works, and for the ongoing management of the site. Without this, Archers Green and the wildlife it’s home to could have been at risk.

Archers Green is a 20-acre site, which supports some of our most iconic, yet threatened wildlife, such as Water Vole, Skylark and Harebell. It is home to lowland meadows, wet woodland, marsh and chalk stream – all of which are priorities for protection and have earnt Archers Green recognition as a designated Local Wildlife Site. Particularly noteworthy is that Archers Green, flanks the River Mimram, which is one of just 240 chalk streams in the entire world, and the stretch that runs through the site is one of the very best in the county. These unique river systems are so rare, and support some of our most endangered species – they are the UK’s equivalent to tropical rainforests. In Hertfordshire, local people are the custodians of around 10% of the world’s precious chalk streams.

The Trust’s Chief Executive, Lesley Davies said: “Securing the future of wild places like Archers Green is crucial for our planet and our local communities. The complex of habitats at Archers Green is what makes it so special and home to so many different plants and animals and is why the site is a priority for the Trust to give it a secure future and manage it positively to benefit its wildlife.

“Enormous thanks go to the incredible support of our members, donors, volunteers and funders, and particularly to a very generous donation from a legacy which has enabled us to reach our target.

“Safeguarding Archers Green is important as it provides a vital link with nearby sites, helping to strengthen a wildlife corridor along the Mimram Valley and creating more space for nature in the local area. To the west, upstream on the chalk river, wildlife thrives on the Trust’s Tewinbury Nature Reserve, and to the east at Panshanger Park, we are able to care for wildlife through our partnership project there. Archers Green Nature Reserve is a vital connection for wildlife and increases its resilience to other threats, including climate change.”

Protecting sites like Archers Green, and the species that depend on them, is even more vital in light of last month’s UK State of Nature 2023 report which assessed the status of over 10,000 species. The report made for alarming reading showing that populations of 19% of these species have declined since 1970, and one in six are now threatened with extinction. The fundraising campaign to save Archers Green demonstrates that the public’s concern for the future of wildlife, the will of communities to protect our natural world, and active conservation management are all instrumental in providing hope that these figures can be reversed in future. This latest success in fighting the nature and climate crisis takes the Trust a step closer to achieving their ambitious strategic aim of 30% of land connected and protected for nature’s recovery by 2030.

To find out more about Archers Green, please go to www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/archersgreen