Gift to Nature have been working with the Probation Service on the Isle of Wight, to manage their conservation sites.  One group activity was to spend a day at Merstone station clearing nettles from the platform, happily Sam Buck reports ’some nettles were left for the butterflies too’ Merstone Station Sign: Image Copyright Island Pulse.

Gift to Nature creates fantastic wildlife areas across the Isle of Wight and encourages locals and residents to get out into the countryside and explore. 

They have been working with the Probation Service to manage their conservation sites across the Isle of Wight.

The Probation Service group spent a day at Merstone station clearing nettles from the front of the platform (some were left for the butterflies too). The group also made a fantastic job creating a brand new Gift to Nature Grass Sofa.

Sam Buck (Gift to Nature Project Manager) said that

“At Sandown Wetlands the Probation service have done a fantastic job opening up the beautiful community orchard. The orchard is brimming with fruit and is rich picking for any keen scrumpers”.

The group cleared a new path through the wood as the current one is being enveloped by the marshier bits of the wetland.

Darren Steed (unpaid workers placement manager) said

“We are keen to continue working with Gift to Nature, our workers get a great sense of achievement seeing a site progress through ongoing visits”.

Island 2000 Trust a registered charity operates the Gift to Nature Scheme.
Gift to Nature is a visitor payback scheme, which raises money to be used on practical conservation projects, and often attracts considerable additional funding to the Island.

For more information - www.gifttonature.org.uk

Merstone Station Sign: Image Copyright Island Pulse.