Cliff-top meadows saved by Vera Lynn sees endangered birds thrive and the fields are now filled with wildflowers and poppies, and bursting with life.
A meadow on the White Cliffs of Dover is now full of record numbers of rare birds and bursting with floral life. The Trust’s 2017 fundraising campaign, which reached its target in just three weeks, was supported by Dame Vera Lynn, whose lyrics ‘there will be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover’ and ‘the valley will bloom again’ had given hope to the country during the war.
The National Trust has been working to undo seven decades of damage from intensive farming, and the organisation has just announced that the world-famous Cliffs are once more providing a haven for wildlife, including the nation’s songbird, the skylark.
Rare plants now growing include common vetch, bird’s-foot trefoil, crimson clover, yellow rattle, lady’s bedstraw, ox-eye daisy, meadow buttercup and self heal.
Virginia Portman, General Manager at the White Cliffs, said: “The White Cliffs of Dover will be forever intertwined with Dame Vera Lynn, who sadly passed away recently. Her music marked the start of the enduring emotional connection that people feel when they visit us here, and we’re so grateful for her support over the years."
“In helping us to save the land and restore it as a haven for wildlife, she has left a legacy for future generations to enjoy.”