Louise King

Louise is the Reserve Manager at Chimney Meadows. Chimney Meadows nature reserve is one of the largest reserves managed by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust. Since the Trust started looking after the site in 2003, wildlife has returned to this tranquil site beside the River Thames in Oxfordshire. Formerly a commercial farm the fields once planted with wheat and barley are now colourful, species-rich wildflower meadows.

Previously heavily grazed pastures are now nationally-important wetlands and home to wading birds. This type of habitat is important for its remarkable diversity of plant-life and as a home to nationally declining wading birds such as curlew, which breed here. As part of the Trust’s work on Valuing Nature it is assessing the financial value of the benefits to society of converting Chimney Meadows from a commercial farm to a nature reserve.