Train operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) has contributed funds to a new nature reserve near Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

The project, run by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, has developed a stretch of land between the M18 and an industrial estate into a haven for a range of insects, birds and mammals.

The new site is called Parson’s Carr Nature Reserve. It covers 104 hectares of former arable land, and includes three new ponds, new grassland and crops.

It provides a home to species including dragonflies, marsh harriers, brown hares, turtle doves, yellowhammers and grey partridges.

Parson’s Carr Nature Reserve also offers seasonal nature walks for visitors. Benches and interpretation panels help people to access the area.

LNER’s funding came from its Customer and Community Investment Fund (CCIF), which supports various community projects along the operator’s route.

It has financed other projects to provide wildlife habitats, including restoring Ricknall Carrs, an ancient wetland in County Durham in North East England.

Last year’s application window saw nearly five hundred projects apply for funding, the highest number in a single year since the fund opened.

Applicants were asked to submit proposals for projects that align with LNER’s stated vision of being ‘Better for People, Better for Places, Better for Planet’.

“Parson’s Carr is a remarkable site where, thanks to the hard work of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and their amazing volunteers, nature is thriving despite being hidden between two very urban landscapes. The project’s ambition to benefit both the environment and the local community echoes our own ambition to deliver positive and sustainable change across our business, benefiting the people and places we serve. We’re proud to be involved in the regeneration of this area and helping to bring wildlife back to Doncaster.”

Rachael Wilson, Community Investment Manager at LNER