Support our wildflower and tree nursery in the Duddon Valley

Can you help us build a community nursery to grow rare wildflowers, trees and shrubs to restore the Duddon Valley?

The Upper Duddon valley has a wide variety of habitats, but lacks many of the wildflower species which would have historically covered this area of the Lake District. Reintroducing these species - plants such as ragged robin, water avens and Cumbria's county flower, the grass of parnassus - will have a positive effect on the local biodiversity and benefit struggling pollinating insects such as butterflies, bees and hoverflies.

Higher up in the fells we are missing the small, scrubby trees such as juniper and specialist willow species. These provide food and shelter for birds such as the increasingly rare ring ouzel, as well improving habitat for species such as the cuckoo and tree pipit. There are also associated benefits for water quality and flood mitigation.

We have an suitable area to set up a plant nursery, and have started work preparing it. We now need to invest in the infrastructure such as raised planting beds, polytunnels, tools and growing containers. With your help we will be able to produce thousands of wildflowers and trees to plant in the valley.

The nursery will be run by staff from Restoring Hardknott Forest and the Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery Project .

We will involve the whole community in the growing and planting activities, and will run volunteer days to involve local people, groups and schools.