By Steve Aylward
Legacy stories: Church Farm Marshes
Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s involvement at Church Farm began with a wildlife survey. We advise many farmers and landowners, providing guidance on conservation issues and sharing a common enthusiasm for wildlife. So it was with Philip Elsey.
Church Farm sits on a minor tributary of the River Blyth and has the wonderful variety of habitats typical of a traditional Suffolk farm. He bequeathed Church Farm to Suffolk Wildlife Trust to secure its future as a wildlife haven.
Phillip Elsey
Under Philip Elsey’s stewardship, nature had been allowed to take the lead and wildlife had flourished. Our ownership of the farm since 2003 has fulfilled the wishes of a man who cared about the natural world.
In 2009, thanks to Philip Elsey’s generosity in his Will we were able to buy the neighbouring flower-rich marshes, to bring them into our care and extend his farmland nature reserve further down the valley.