Island Life Magazine Ltd October/ November 2012 | Page 78
COUNTRY LIFE
Magic meadow
Magical spot
on doorstep
Pan Mill Meadows is a small, magical parcel
hedge plants including gooseberry, black
of riverside land just south of St George’s
and redcurrant as well as damson, pear and
with the help of committed supporters.
Bridge which has been created and cared for
apple trees along the paths and beside the
All donations enable us to continue our
as part of local charity Island 2000’s Gift to
meadow.
conservation work on the Isle of Wight. If
Nature project.
you would like to support the work of Gift
Working with a variety of local groups and
once again and is within five minutes walk of
to Nature please visit our website or get in
volunteers, what was an overgrown bramble
the centre of Newport. Head south along the
touch; Northwood House, Ward Avenue,
patch has been transformed into riverside
new cycle path by Matalan and it is on your
Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 8AZ. Tel: 01983
woodland and wildflower meadow. Parts of
right as you cross under the bridge. More
535888. Email; [email protected]
the woodland have been coppiced to let more
information can be found at www.gifttonature.
light in and as a result, flowers such as wild
org.uk.
garlic, bluebells and buttercups have sprung
up.
In the meadow yellow flag, water mint
and meadowsweet have returned; there are
woodpeckers, butterflies, dragonflies and if
you are very lucky you might just see a water
vole along the river.
Recently a major river restoration project
aimed at bringing trout and eel back to this
stretch of the Medina has been funded by
SITA Trust.
Volunteers from the Natural Wight project,
run by Spectrum Housing Group, have
recently helped with a ‘Hedgerow Harvest’
planting. This autumn look out for 125 fruiting
78
Pan Mill Meadows is an amazing place
Gift to Nature’s work is only possible
www.visitislandlife.com