New Nature Reserve To Be Created Near Market Harborough

A new nature reserve will be created near Market Harborough after a man donated over 50 acres of land in memory of his son.

The fields either side of the A6 bypass close to Great Bowden have been gifted to the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust by Michael Adler.

Michael Adler and other members of the family with the Wildlife Trust team Pic: Andy Murdock

It will be known as ‘The James Adler Reserve’ after his son James, who was a conservationist, died suddenly last year aged 42.

Michael was given the land by his grandfather after growing up in Great Bowden and enjoying many hours exploring it when he was a child.

James Adler

The land has the River Welland meandering through it and was to be left to James in Michael’s will.

He told HFM it will become a beautiful legacy to his son and a great asset for local people:

Pic: Ian Drummond

Mat Carter, CEO at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust said: “We are extremely grateful to Michael Adler.

“The land is of immense importance as it not only allows us to work with local businesses and local community groups in an area where we previously had few nature reserves, it also brings us one step closer to our 2030 strategy of Bringing Nature Back by restoring nature in our two counties.

“Our nature reserves have increasingly become the last strongholds of wildlife habitat within Leicestershire and Rutland, so this generously gifted area of land will give us this opportunity to use it as another foundational building block towards nature’s recovery within South Leicestershire.

“It will offer more space for people to join and create relationships with nature in the heart of their community.”

Pic: Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

The Wildlife Trust is working with its local Great Bowden Group to develop future plans for the site and is encouraging the local community to get involved and help build a wilder future as part of the local area’s nature recovery strategy.

Anyone wishing to help develop the future of the James Adler Reserve to get in touch via email at info@lrwt.org.uk