GroWet Buckinghamshire

(Above) Photo Credit: Freshwater Habitats Trust

Who: Freshwater Habitats Trust is a UK charity creating, restoring and protecting high quality habitats for freshwater wildlife – through scientific research and practical conservation work – dedicated to reversing the long term decline in freshwater biodiversity.

What:

In 2023, Freshwater Habitats Trust were awarded a £115K grant over three years, supporting the expansion of the GroWet project into Buckinghamshire. The project involves local people growing rare wetland plants that are at increasing risk of local extinction, and reintroducing them back into the landscape.

The first year of funding has supported three GroWet nurseries to be established at Waddesdon, Lindengate Charity and Chiltern Rangers.

Seven target plant species have been identified and two, the fabulously named ‘Ragged Robin’ and ‘Lesser Spearwort’ are growing happily at Waddesdon.

(Above) Photo Credit: Lindengate Charity

Education materials have been created and used to engage:

• 11 schools primarily in High Wycombe and surrounding areas, 500+ school children predominantly Asian-British ethnic background and aged 6-9.
• 6 local community groups sessions (Action4Youth, Green Volunteens, Wellbeing pathways, Lindengate carers groups, wellbeing & nature programme, Garden volunteers), 60+ community members.
• 50 landowners who are helping to identify re-introduction sites, including connection with the DEFRA funded Landscape Recovery Project in Bucks.
• 5 local events attended, raising awareness of GroWet Bucks and connecting the public with wetland habitats. This included Open Farm Sunday at Waddesdon Manor, reaching 275 people.

Our Support of the Grow Wet project with Freshwater Habitats Trust, empowers the reconnection of community groups to the natural world via the vital wetland and freshwater habitats. This is a fantastic initiative! Citizen science can be a powerful tool for ecological recovery, especially in areas like wetlands that are critical for biodiversity and environmental health. Engaging communities not only raises awareness but also fosters a sense of stewardship. I am delighted that our local secondary school will introduce plants from this project to our own Nature Space funded project ponds on Moors Close this October.

Chris Leach, Environmental Conservation & Biodiversity, Rothschild Foundation

(Above) Photo Credit: Freshwater Habitats Trust

Learning

• As they move into Year Two, further engagement will take place with schools and community groups, focusing on key deprived areas including Aylesbury and following up on initial conversations with the 19 Schools and 51 Community Groups contacted in Year One.
• Building on the partnership with Pitchcott Farm, a further small nursery will be set-up.
• Further surveys will take place to ensure no endangered species are missing and identification of more reintroduction sites. Currently the target species include: Great Water Parsnip, Water Violet, Frogbit, Marsh Stitchwort, Tubular Water Dropwort, Lesser Spearwort and Ragged Robin.

Case Study Published: 17/12/24

Updated: 18/12/24