One of Cumbria’s foremost nature conservationists died on January 7, aged 94.

Dr Helga Frankland, who lived in Uldale, near Ravenstonedale, was part of a group who agreed to form The Lake District Naturalists’ Trust (now Cumbria Wildlife Trust) in 1961 and became a founder member, and Trustee in 1962.

She was active throughout the 52 years the trust has existed, was a trustee for 40 years and became a Vice President of the trust in 1981.

Peter Bullard, Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Director, said, “When Helga retired as Regional Director for the Nature Conservancy Council, now Natural England, in 1980 she had already been a trustee for 18 years. She then became a very active volunteer, working for Cumbria Wildlife Trust two or three days a week for over 20 years. "She was an amazing ambassador for nature and passionately believed in the conservation of wildlife - she spent all of her life convincing people nature was crucial to everyone. Helga has done more for the trust than any other person. She will be missed by staff and volunteers alike.”

Helga was a botanist who put a lot of her energy into surveying and documenting Local Wildlife Sites.

She was also a keen writer and wrote ‘A Walk on the Clouds’, an introduction to the geology, natural history, land use and value of nature conservation of The Clouds at Fell End, Ravenstonedale.

When Cumbria Wildlife Trust turned 50 in 2012, Helga sat down to write ‘A History of Cumbria Wildlife Trust’ to document the ups and downs of the charity and the people that passed through its doors.

Helga was also a life-long member of Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Sedbergh Local Support Group and worked on many wildlife projects in the area.

Susan Garnett, Chair of Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Sedbergh Local Support Group, said: “Helga was an inspiration to our group. She helped run a Wildlife Watch group for youngsters for many years and was an active and valued member of our committee.

"She led many botanical surveys notably of hedgerows and our own Jubilee Wood. Helga also found time to run survey training sessions for us all.

"Her knowledge of local conservation topics was of immense value and her understanding of a symbiotic relationship between upland farming and conservation was based on her own experiences as a landowner and land girl during the war years. She is irreplaceable.”