Gift to Nature Projects

Unique projects for unique places

Each of our projects is a unique mixture of habitat creation/restoration, interpretation, visitor facilities and location-inspired public art:

Parkhurst Viewing Hide and Red Squirrel Safari

Parkhurst is famously home to a large population of this rare and shy animal. They can be spotted from the magnificent log cabin hide which Gift to Nature built working with the forestry commission. Follow the Red Squirrel Safari and you can also see Pearl-bordered Fritillary and White Admiral butterflies. Sparrow Hawks, Long-eared Owls and Buzzards can be found in the forest and the ponds are home to Great Crested Newts.. Find out more…..

Wall Lizard Habitat and Walk

Ventnor Botanic Gardens are renowned for their micro-climate, they are sunny, south-facing and sheltered, so great for basking lizards. The nooks and crannies of the wall provide an ideal home for the rare Wall Lizard, and the colony is now well-established and continues to thrive. The lizards are most active on sunny days between April and October. On the lizard walk you might also spot Skuas (a predatory sea bird), Terns and Gannets as well as Britain’s rarest native tree the Black Poplar. Find out more…..

Totland Meadow – Habitat Restoration

One Horse Field is a beautiful wild meadow which is rich in wildlife, see if you can spot the handsome Wasp Spider or fabulous Corky-fruited Water-dropwort or the rare Autumn Ladies Tresses orchid. In the summer the meadow is buzzing with dragonflies and butterflies. Our Slow Worm refuge is for the existing population and re-homing displaced individuals. There is hand-carved seating where you can rest your weary feet for a moment and let the wildlife come to you.Find out more…..

Sandown Wetland Walk

The Wetland Walk guides you around the River Yar and a network of waterways which we have made more inviting to Water Voles, one of the regions most threatened mammals. We also recreated an important local pond, essential as a home for hundreds of creatures that live in, on and around wetlands, including Kingfishers. You can find Marsh Orchids, Herons, nesting Mute Swans, the beautiful Emperor dragonfly, woodpeckers (in the picnic area), and an amazing array of pond wildlife. . Find out more…..

*New Project* – Troll Trail, Merstone-Newport

Grey Wagtail see credits page for copyright info

We will be installing Grey Wagtail nesting boxes under some of the many bridges this path crosses and a House Sparrow palace to help this much-declined species. Enhancement of a wildlife meadow at Merstone Station with new wildflowers and hand carved picnic benches will make this a real feature of the route which should be well used by the thousands of walkers and cyclists who currently have nowhere to take a rest and enjoy the scenery. Find out more…..

2008 Project Watch this space!

Gift to Nature