In little over two hours, an army of volunteers, including eight children, braved the elements and planted 600 bulbs as part of the wildlife charity’s plans to enhance the site for wildlife and create floral carpet for the thousands of people who visit each year to enjoy.

In addition to their help, 61 children and teachers from Amberley Primary School will also be getting involved later in the month to ensure there will be a ready supply of nectar for bees and butterflies next spring.

Developed on the former pit heap of Weetslade Colliery, the shallow sloping sides of the hill contain areas of grassland, scrub and woodland.  At the foot of the slopes, to the west side of the Park, wetlands provide home to many common damselflies and dragonflies.  Many birds are present on the site such as grey partridge, meadow pipit and skylark. 

In October, the Park fended off competition from 70 other Land Trust sites around the UK to secure the Site of the Year Award at the National Land Trust Awards ceremony.

The Award recognized all the site’s improvements including the creation of a new area for ground nesting birds, re-wetting of the ‘old saltmarsh’ on site to encourage wildlife to flourish, installation of a cycle rack and new paths, painting of fences, refreshing the picnic areas and site furniture and improving the signage. 

All the improvements have helped create a better visitor experience as more people than ever are turning to green spaces for their health and wellbeing.