Locals rally to help rewilding project after fire

Residents have rallied to help clear the site of a community rewilding project which had shelters and equipment destroyed in a fire.

The fire on 24 July destroyed wooden shelters, tools and equipment at the Luxulyan Environment Green Glebe Space.

The volunteer-run project team said the fire service could not confirm the cause of the fire but it was focused on rebuilding the site with the help of supporters.

Secretary of the site Shelley Porter said it could cost up to £10,000 to replace what was lost and thanked members of the local community for their "superb" efforts to help clear the site and for their donations.

The 1.5 acre (0.6 hectare) community project has been run by volunteers for the past four years and is focussed on encouraging wildlife and improving biodiversity.

Porter said when she was told of the fire she initially thought it could have been the site's meadow, as hot weather had made it very dry.

"Absolutely that was my first thought, but when I rounded the corner I was just met with the store and the shelter that are together, which was just a ball of fire," she said.

She said scythes, wheelbarrows, tools and furniture, as well as the shelters were destroyed.

The group believe replacing the shelter and tools could cost up to £10,000.

"That's a lot for a very small group," she said.

Porter said many residents have helped to clear the site and donated towards an online fundraising campaign to replace the equipment.

"We arranged for an afternoon to help clear the site and there were loads of people," she said.

"We actually managed to clear it within an hour, it would have taken us days on our own.

"We had loads of people with brooms and spades getting rid of the cinders and it was superb.

"I was quite overwhelmed, really, because I was not expecting it."

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