Land donated and transformed into a popular nature reserve in Lambley could now be auctioned off, it has been revealed.
The Reed Pond Nature Reserve is currently run by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust but they say they now intend to sell it due to ‘lack of funds to maintain it going forward’.
The land was donated to the Trust by the Burks family back in 1998 and is enjoyed by Lambley residents.
The news of the potential sale was revealed by Lambley Parish Council.
Their chairman Lawrence Milbourne told Gedling Eye he hopes the land can be saved.
He said “On April 10, 2019, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust wrote to Lambley Parish Council informing them of their intent to sell, by auction, the land known as Reed Pond Nature Reserve because they are no longer in a financial position to maintain it. The Parish Council received that letter on the 26th April 2019.
“The land was gifted to the Trust in 1998 by Mr and Mrs Eddie Burks with the stated intention that it would safeguard the land in perpetuity. Mr Burks sadly died a few years ago and Mrs Burks no longer lives in Lambley. Lambley Parish Council is questioning if it is legal or moral for the Trust to be offering the land for sale by auction.
He added: “The Council are investigating alternatives that will safeguard the land.
Local residents voiced their anger on the Lambley Parish Council facebook page
Gina Bajek posted: “We overlook the Reed Pond. There are Egrets and Kingfishers there as well as the geese and ducks. We saw a reed bunting there this morning. We need to do absolutely everything we can to save it.”
Tarn Young wrote: “Disgusting! The Wild Life Trust not looking after wild life. This is another fight for Lambley we have on our hands. We spent fours years trying to stop the building of the crematorium. It would seem Lambley residents cannot stop any building projects big conglomerates wish to impose on us.”
The page about the nature reserve has now been removed from the Trust’s website.
Gedling Eye has approached Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust more comment
