Community comes together to transform Trinity Meadow into a wildlife haven
Published: 31/03/2026
The Wetland Arc stretches across the north of Milton Keynes and is made up of 355 hectares (about 500 football pitches!) of linear parkland, nature sites and floodplain meadows along the course of the River Great Ouse and is home to some of the area’s most important biodiversity sites.
Over the next two years The Parks Trust will create a community-led masterplan for the Wetland Arc, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project will fuse the views of local people with ambitions for nature restoration and protecting the natural heritage of the Wetland Arc for future generations.
Community involvement is at the heart of this project, and we are working with a variety of community groups, parish councils, volunteers, and Access Ambassadors to ensure the future plans reflect local needs.
A significant project within the wider Wetland Arc initiative is that of Trinity Meadow, an ambitious two‑year pilot program designed to transform a formerly plain grass field into a rich and diverse wildlife haven.
Transforming Trinity Meadow
Since mid‑February, 218 people have taken part in planting and habitat‑creation efforts. Participants include local primary and secondary schools, Milton Keynes College, the Deanshanger Integration Project (supporting asylum seekers), members of the public, and Parks Trust staff and volunteers.
As part of the habitat transformation, volunteers have planted 14 different native tree species, including oak, field maple, black poplar, small‑leaved lime, elder, guelder rose, blackthorn, hawthorn, and hazel.
The project will create a mosaic of habitats including ponds, wet and dry woodland, wildlife scrapes, hibernacula, and dead wood piles. These features will support insects, birds, mammals, amphibians, and fungi, helping to boost biodiversity and build climate resilience.
Have your say
It’s time to have your say in shaping the future of the Wetland Arc parks! We have now launched a public survey to enable you to share your views.
Together we will create a community-led masterplan for the landscape which reflects local residents' ideas, hopes and dreams so that everyone feels welcome and nature thrives.
