About the reserve

Habitat making in progress! Saltersford Farm was farmed for maize and silage prior to being purchased by Cheshire Wildlife Trust in 2021. Located on the River Dane and just 1 mile from our Swettenham Nature Reserve, Saltersford creates a valuable addition to the Dane Living Landscape area. 

A once baren landscape of maize stubble has now been planted up with 7000 native trees. A series of open glades, scrub and ponds intersperse the woodland planting, creating a mosaic of different habitat types which will benefit a whole host of wildlife from bats to barn owls once it establishes.

The silage ground which originally was composed of 3 grass species has been reseeded with green hay from our Swettenham Nature Reserve. The green hay was packed full of wildflower seeds, with species such as knapweed, common cat’s ear and ox eye daisy which has created 6ha of new wildflower meadow. This meadow will be an amazing nectar source for the pollinating insects, which are in serious decline.