A VITAL green wedge in Wellington will soon be extended through the creation of a new nature reserve. Wellington is currently separated from Rockwell Green through a series of green fields and public open spaces, running from Tonedale Mill to the A38. Around 64 acres of land between Fox’s Field and Exeter Road was signed over to Wellington Town Council in January 2023 on a 150-year lease, allowing local councillors to protect and enhance The Basins for future generations. Now a farming family is aiming to protect a large portion of land to the south of Exeter Road by creating a brand new nature reserve, enhancing the town’s biodiversity and providing local residents with a green oasis to enjoy. The Trinity Farm Nature Reserve will be created between the existing homes on Farthing Pitts and Hilly Head. The land has been cultivated by family farm K. S. Coles since the 1960s and has actively engaged with environmental stewardship. The design of the nature reserve is at an early stage, with Greenshank Environmental working with the Coles family and local stakeholders to determine how the reserve can serve both nature and the community, and are considering the best access points, sites for benches and viewing points, and how best to accommodate dog walkers. Once completed, it will form the final part of the unbroken ‘green corridor’ from Tonedale Mill, which together with the Tone Works site will shortly be regenerated following a successful £20m bid to the government’s levelling up fund. Paul Coles, whose family owns and manages the farm, said: “Our family has been farming land in Somerset for more than 60 years. “We have always tried to do the right thing by the environment and now creating the nature reserve so close to our home feels like a natural extension to this. “The town of Wellington has meant so much to the family that being able to give back, and create a space that will improve the lives of the community, is a fantastic legacy for the family.”

Greenshank Environmental estimates that the nature reserve could include large amounts of neutral grassland and new hedgerows, along with new woodland if it was demanded. Anita Roy, the chair of Transition Town Wellington and a member of the Green Corridor Advisory Group, said: “The proposal to re-imagine this land as a nature reserve is a fantastic opportunity for the town’s folk – human and non-human alike. “We know that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with one in six species threatened with extinction. “One of the key recommendations from Natural England is to ‘create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. Our wildlife needs more space, and we know that many species can benefit from habitats that are quick to create such as ponds, scrubby habitats and un-trimmed hedgerows’.” The land is expected to be formally declared as a local nature reserve within the next 12 months, though it may take it least 18 months before the site can be properly enjoyed by the public.