Cumbria Wildlife Trust facts for kids
The Cumbria Wildlife Trust is a special group that helps protect nature in Cumbria, a county in North West England. They look after over 40 amazing places called nature reserves. Their main goal is to teach people more about the plants and animals that live in Cumbria.
How It Started
The Cumbria Wildlife Trust began a long time ago, in 1962. Back then, it was called the Lake District Naturalists' Trust. In 1974, when the county of Cumbria was officially formed, the trust changed its name to the Cumbria Trust for Nature Conservation. Later, it became the Cumbria Wildlife Trust that we know today.
Their main office is located near Kendal, right next to the beautiful Lake District National Park. While the Lake District is famous, most of the special nature reserves the trust protects are actually outside the national park. These places are very different from each other!
- Some are wet, muddy areas called peat bogs, like Witherslack Mosses.
- Others are rocky areas with unique patterns, known as limestone pavements, such as Hutton Roof Crags.
- They also protect old forests and places along the coast, like South Walney.
- Recently, they even helped protect a place called Craggy Wood near Staveley.
What They Do
The trust does many things to help wildlife and people learn about it:
- They offer fun learning programs for visitors of all ages. These programs help people understand more about nature.
- They also welcome volunteers! People can join in and help with important tasks to protect wildlife.
- The trust speaks up for wildlife. They campaign both locally in Cumbria and across the country on important issues that affect animals and plants.
In recent years, they have worked on some exciting projects:
- They helped protect and restore hay meadows through projects like the "Coronation Meadows" and their own "Meadow Life" project. These projects help bring back wildflowers and insects.
- They also worked to create special protected areas in the Irish Sea called Marine Conservation Zones. These zones help keep the ocean healthy for marine life.
