THREE nature reserves in Hadleigh and Daws Heath have been awarded a cash boost to help improve wildlife.

Essex Wildlife Trust has been granted more than £45,000 for major renovation work at Pound Wood wildlife haven, Little Haven nature reserve and Tile Wood, in Daws Heath Road.

The ambitious projects will include planting 8,560 hedgerows, 40 native trees to create a woodland corridor, installing dormouse tubes and improvements to gates and fencing.

The funding will also be used to create an orchard by planting 12 fruit trees.

It is hoped the renovation will help provide a better habitat for some of the sites’ rare species, such as the heath fritillary butterfly, the dormouse and various breeds of bats.

This comes after the Castle Point Wildlife Group announced plans to reintroduce the rare heath fritillary butterfly to West Woods, off Rayleigh Road, Thundersley, following the creation of a conservation area.

West Woods and the three nature reserves are four of the few locations in the UK which produces cow wheat, the only plant the butterfly feeds on.

John Hall, Essex Wildlife Trust chief executive, said: “The award of the grant is fantastic news and will be of significant benefit to the wonderful and varied wildlife of the Hadleigh and Daws Heath Living Landscape.

“It is also very good news for thousands of people who live close to the Living Landscape and all those who will visit it.” The funding has been provided by the Veolia Pitsea Marshes Trust, which receives income through the Landfill Communities Fund Scheme and redistributes the money to worthy causes.

Since January, the trust has awarded almost £350,000 to projects in Castle Point, including nearly £250,000 to the £4.1million refurbishment of Waterside Farm Leisure Centre, in Somnes Avenue, Canvey.

Mr Hall added: “We have a long and happy history of working in partnership with Veolia and together we can make a special place even better for wildlife, for the future and for the people of Essex.”