IT doesn’t seem that long ago that a field was a field was a field. It was there to be grazed, ploughed, seeded and cropped or put to some other use and no one turned a hair.

But things have changed. Now there is much concern in certain quarters that what are considered environmentally important sites are disappearing at a rate of knots and something needs to be done before it’s too late. Which is why Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is launching a campaign to save some of the county’s most precious wildflower meadows.

The project is being aided by waste management contractor Severn Waste Services, which is offering to donate half of the £80,000 needed to buy and fence three fields that make up the 18 acres of Piddle Brook Meadows in the south Worcestershire village of Naunton Beauchamp, near Pershore. The money needs to be raised by November and the trust is issuing an urgent appeal to its members and the public to help raise the remaining balance.

Colin Raven, director of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: “Piddle Brook Meadows are rich with wildflowers like yellow rattle, salad burnet and sweet vernal grass which bloom through the summer. Three particularly scarce plants flourish in the remains of historic ridge and furrow – downy oat grass, dropwort and meadow rue. In Britain, only two per cent of the wildflower meadows in existence before the Second World War still survive and in Worcestershire we are lucky enough to have about one-fifth of all those left. This makes it incredibly important that we help to protect these wonderful places.

“But it’s not only the plants, the Piddle brook itself is used by otters and kingfishers, while scarce grasshopper warblers and myriad butterflies, insects, birds and small mammals inhabit the meadows and surrounding hedges. On a recent visit, for example, there were two grasshopper warblers singing from the hedgerow, an increasingly rare sound in Worcestershire’s countryside.

“However, this special place is fragile and its richness and variety could easily be lost. The meadows are for sale and as they have no legal protection, their future under a new owner is uncertain. That’s why it’s fantastic news that Severn Waste Services is willing to help us buy the land. Thanks to this generosity we have a wonderful start towards reaching our challenging target by the November deadline.”

Severn Waste Services operate waste management and recycling facilities for Worcestershire County and Herefordshire Councils and its Hill and Moor landfill site is just a couple of miles further down the Piddle brook. Over many years it has supported a large number of local environmental and community projects under the provisions of the Landfill Communities Fund.

Ian Barber, marketing director for Severn Waste Services, said: “This is just the sort of project that the Landfill Communities Fund is aimed at, and we are delighted to be able to offer our support.”

The trust currently owns Naunton Court Fields Nature Reserve, which directly adjoins Piddle Brook Meadows. Under Worcestershire Wildlife Trust’s ownership, these fields have developed into an internationally important site for rare arable plants. By purchasing the meadows another link will be created in the local network of sympathetically managed sites which are essential to enable wildlife to move through the landscape finding food, water and shelter.

● To help save Piddle Brook Meadows for the future you can donate online at worcswildlifetrust.co.uk, by credit or debit card on 01905 754919 or send a cheque , made payable to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, to Lower Smite Farm, Smite Hill, Hindlip, Worcester WR3 8SZ.