The duo, Charley Miller and Alex Rose, are both members of the Salisbury-based Wildlife and Wellbeing Community Interest Company.

Trustees of the nature reserve, located between Lower Bemerton and Harnham, were able to award the contract using National Lottery funding.

Broken Bridges ranger Charley Miller (Image: BBNR)

Chair Jeremy Nettle, also a city councillor, said: “Over 18 months, we have raised the cash to purchase 34 acres of badly neglected farmland, traversed by a public right of way, that links two outlying suburbs of the city and yet is less than a mile from the railway station and city centre.

“We have flood plain meadows, rare woodland, lovely chalk streams and huge potential to bring back wildlife and restore biodiversity.

“At the same time we have registered as a charity, set up our website, held public meetings and recruited more than 80 volunteers.

“Our aims are to restore biodiversity, improve access and support the health and wellbeing of people of all ages through access to nature on their doorstep. 

“Since completing purchase in June 2025, we have mown the meadows for the first time in years, begun organising grazing, replaced barbed wire fencing, beginning to turn the narrow footpath into a wide green corridor.

“With the appointment of our rangers, we can move on to the next stage.” 

Alex said: “I’m looking forward to this partnership, excited to build strong relationships for BBNR and honoured to establish a rapport with the land.

“With my background in deep ecology, I am motivated to help people rediscover their connection to earth and amplify the voice of nature in Salisbury and beyond.”

Charley said: “We are really excited to join the incredible Broken Bridges team of trustees and volunteers and to work together to reverse as much of this ecological decline as possible over the years and decades to come.

“It was fascinating to hear about the history of the land at the recent update morning, particularly the species once present and currently absent, including otter, lamprey and bullhead.

“Our aim is to connect people with their local wildlife, for the benefit of their health and wellbeing.

“The health and wellbeing of the environment also benefits from more humans being connected to nature and understanding the impact they as individuals have – both negative and positive – on the natural world. ”