A staggering 97% of British wildflower meadows have been lost since the Second World War. Against this devastating backdrop the National Trust are planning on selling Clayton Meadow, a unique Lowland Meadow habitat, rich in wildlife in Studland, Dorset for development. 

The meadow was gifted to the National Trust by Dame Barbara Clayton in 1998 specifically for conservation as a meadow in perpetuity. A precious gift that the National Trust now want to sell for financial gain. 

The National Trust campaigns for “Save our Magnificent Meadows” and “Wildflower Meadows – we’re looking after them so that future generations can come back and continue to enjoy them.” Well clearly not at Clayton Meadow. 

Dame Barbara trusted the National Trust with the preservation of Clayton Meadow and to sell it for development is a betrayal of her wishes.

With income of £681 million and £1.3 billion of financial investments in the year to February 2020 why are they selling Clayton Meadow, sacrificing biodiversity and the natural environment for financial gain? 

This is a species-rich meadow, a precious type of threatened habitat which has faced significant decline. The UK has lost around 7.5 million acres of wildflower meadows since the end of World War 2. 

Selling Clayton meadow for development clearly goes against the National Trust’s charity objective of “preservation of the natural aspect of land, its' features, animals and wildlife.”

If you care about wildflower meadows, wildlife, biodiversity and the future of the natural environment please sign our petition. 

Our Mission: To preserve Clayton Meadow as a precious wildflower meadow in perpetuity as Dame Barbara intended. 

https://www.facebook.com/saveclaytonmeadowstudland/