A GROUP of nature volunteers in York is this year marking a quarter of a century looking after a much-loved green oasis in the city.

The Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows was originally set up in 1995 to allow cycling charity Sustrans to put a long-distance path between York and Beningbrough, and for 25 years a group of dedicated volunteers have managed and tried to improve the riverside land.

Group member Dr Mick Phythian said massive changes over the years showed just how much work had been put into the site.

"The fact the site was given Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) status shows how much we have done there.

"To get accepted as what's called MG4 grassland, and with a large population of tansy beetles and other rare invertebrates, is a major achievement," he added.

When the group started, the meadows had been heavily grazed for a number of years and become "species-poor pasture" with very few meadow herbs.

But after several years of hard work the meadow flowers returned and from its initial 25 acres the site has expanded to include the Copse Meadow and the large Cornfield Reserve at the north. They have also added ponds and wetlands, and replanted an elm copse.

And this year, one of the key figures in Rawcliffe Meadow's beginning returned to the site to see for himself the changes that had occurred.

Phil Gray was countryside officer for the then North Yorkshire council which covered York.

Mick added: "Phil has visited the site once or twice himself, but Sunday was the first time we have met him since he left the area in 1995.

"He was gobsmacked by the improvements and really pleasantly surprised as he didn't think it would have kept going that long."

Both Mick and the group's coordinator Judith Sutton have been involved at Rawcliffe Meadows since the early days in 1991.

Although they have seen many improvements, they have also seen changes in the weather leading to more and more floods at all times of year, which create a lot more work for volunteers trying to keep the meadows clean, and healthy.

Mick added: "We are always in need of more volunteers, and we could get a lot more done. There's many hours of work ahead clearing up flood debris and plastic rubbish, and we have around 700 to 800 plants already ordered or paid for that we need to get in."

Information is online at rawcliffemeadows.wordpress.com and www.facebook.com/rawcliffemeadows,