A LEADING businessman whose wealth was once estimated to be £650 million has joined forces with a wildlife charity to create a nature reserve.

Property and internet tycoon Paul Sykes, who lives near Ripon, has formed a partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to improve the visitor access and protect the wildlife of Whitcliffe Wood, between the city and Studley Royal.

The trust said following extensive improvement works to the woods, it now formed part of a wildlife-rich living landscape stretching from Ripon to the Yorkshire Dales.

The haven is owned by Mr Sykes, 71, who is reported to be passionate about environmental issues and has planted a million trees on his nearby estate.

It features a permissive circular path through the wood and adjoining fields with information panels and views across the River Skell valley.

Some areas have been fenced off to reduce disturbance and encourage regeneration of flowering plants, while native wildflower bulbs have been planted to enhance the existing ground flora and new bird boxes installed to provide nest sites for the birds that use the wood.

The wood, off Whitcliffe Lane, has some coppice coupes, areas of hazel and elm stools which traditionally would have been cut to provide timber and woodland products.

The trust said the traditional coppicing had opened up the woodland canopy, allowing in sunlight to boost the diversity of flowering plants, insects and birds and the timber has been formed into habitat piles to provide nooks and crannies for creepy crawlies.

Mr Sykes said: “Whitcliffe Woods has been a great addition to the adjacent 300 acres of wildlife sanctuary which has taken over 20 years to create and transform from intense farm land to a wildlife haven with the help and vision of my estate manager Neil Watson.”

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust chief executive Rob Stoneman said: “Just a few months ago, Whitcliffe Woods was a dark, dank hidden corner of Ripon, home to little wildlife.

"Today, with a huge thanks to the wood’s owner, Paul Sykes, Whitcliffe Wood is on the road to recovery.

“Light now floods the woodland floor to allow the full array of woodland wildlife to return and recolonise its old haunts.

"Already the birds are singing, setting up their territories for summer breeding."