A SOUTH Lakeland conservationist is raising money to fund a study trip abroad so she can return to save the iconic hay meadows of her childhood.

Charlotte-Dawn Thornborrow, 21, who was born and raised in Kendal, grew up surrounded by natural beauty and wants to spend her professional career helping her home county.

“One day, I would like to work with farms to make agriculture greener,” Charlotte said. “Having grown up in the Lake District, I have come to appreciate the beauty of our native wildlife and naturally I am working to protect it.”

Charlotte, who studies wildlife conservation at Nottingham Trent University, is looking to raise £4,000 by March 3 for a research expedition in Transylvania.

She chose Transylvania as it is one of the remaining European countries which still uses traditional methods of agriculture.

At Tarnava Mare, in the south eastern part of the country, she will be studying the local butterfly communities in order to gain a better understanding of them as indicators of the effects that increased industrialised farming holds to their habitat. This is knowledge which Charlotte would like to bring back with her to try and help the species back in Cumbria, including those living in hay meadows.

Charlotte’s family, who all live in Kendal, have been very supportive of her fundraising journey.

“Charlotte is a good ‘un', we really hope that she can go,” said Alex Dixon, Charlotte’s older sister. “She doesn’t intend on moving away or helping some faraway place after her course, but she is wanting to stay in Cumbria and help our wildlife and the animals that live here.”

Charlotte said: “I would really love to go, because I would be able to get a different dissertation experience that I could never get in the UK.”

Besides funds, Charlotte is seeking donations of items for her learning journey, including a head torch, cotton clothing, a sleeping bag, binoculars, boots, waterproofs, camera and a rucksack.

Raffle tickets in support of Charlotte can be bought from Longhorn hardware store on the Beezon Road Industrial Estate in Kendal.

Visit Charlotte’s Facebook page at: facebook.com/Opwall2017Charlotte/

Visit Charlotte’s Go Fund Me page at: gofundme.com/opwalltransylvania2017charlotte