“It’s three fields and a lot of wetlands in between.”

That’s the description given by a wildlife trust of Betchcott Hill, a piece of land in the Shropshire Hills that it has just purchased.

It now needs to raise more than £130,000 by the end of the year to help restore the habitat, which is home to many wildlife species. The hope is that this could help increase the numbers of some declining species.

“It’s a wonderful place, a stunning landscape with fantastic views, but it’s also home to some amazing habitats and some really interesting species,” said Tom Freeland, Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves manager.

The 50 hectare (123 acre) site, between the Stipertones and the Long Mynd, is home to a wealth of habitats and many species of wildlife, which the trust hopes to help thrive.

“You’ve got some lovely wetlands, great for nesting birds and other species, we’ve got some really interesting wetland forests, but we’ve also got a lot of grassland,” Mr Freeland said.

“We believe that (meadows) can become, essentially, a special grass, as you can see in the Stiperstones.”

This grass is much more beneficial to the species already trying to reproduce on the site, he added.

“Lark and snipe, cuckoos and lapwing,” Mr Freeland said.

“I think the most exciting bird and probably the one most in need of protection is the curlew, a true icon of the Shropshire Hills.”

It’s clear the curlew needs help: the trust said its population in Shropshire fell by 77% between 1990 and 2010.

“We know they bred there, we know they tried to raise chicks on this site last year, we know they didn’t succeed,” he said. declared.

“They’re in trouble as a species, they need that long enough grass that they can safely raise their chicks in.”

The trust wants to link its reserves in the Shropshire Hills area and Betchcott Hill is nestled between two of its existing sites.

“I think we’re always looking for the right place where we can have the biggest impact on wildlife,” Mr Freeland said.

“This is an opportunity that has presented itself to reclaim what is essentially a missing link between Long Mynd and Stiperstones, and our other existing reserves that we have in the area like Earl’s Hill and The Hollies.

“It will take work to become as good as some of the other places we look after, but we are confident we can get there.”

In total, Shropshire Wildlife Trust needs £1,113,000 to make this happen.

He has already secured £975,000 towards that total. Of the remaining £138,000, the public has already raised more than £32,000.

“It’s really just the beginning,” Mr. Freeland said.

Changes to habitats include the introduction of new hedgerows, green hay to improve grassland, accessible parking and the creation of feeding sites for curlews.

Not wanting to wait, the trust is starting work this winter.

“One of the things we need to do as a priority is to manage the site for curlews and other nesting birds,” he added.

“The work really begins now.”