A riverside meadow, popular with migrant birds and some rare species of insects, has been designated a special wildlife space.

Schools and local residents are being asked to play their part in the scheme at Barton Fields, alongside the Thames in Abingdon.

It is one of ten Jubilee wildlife spaces in Oxfordshire, proposed by the Lord Lieutenant Hugo Brunner, nature conservation organisations and local authorities.

The site is on the floodplain of the Thames to the east of Abbey Meadows.

For some years the Abingdon Naturalists Society has been carrying out survey work and is keen to help manage the area to improve its nature conservation value.

Key supporters of the scheme are Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum, which runs the Jubilee wildlife spaces project on the Lord Lieutenant's behalf, and the Vale of White Horse District Council, which owns the land.

Money has come from the Countryside Agency, with additional funds to come from the Environment Agency.

The conservation forum's development officer Cynth Napper said: "With the designation of Barton Fields, the Jubilee project is now supporting one group in each county district to look after wildlife in their community.

"By the autumn, we hope to achieve our objective of two sites per district.

"These groups are recreating lost habitats, engaging community interest and supporting conservation."

The secretary of Abingdon Naturalist's Society, David Guyoncourt, is the leader of the "green team", which will carry out work on the site.

He said: "It is a fascinating area for all sorts of wildlife. Last year a rare snail-killing fly was identified."

Conservation work by the team is already under way. Its first task was to remove half a ton of litter.

Now members are planning habitat improvement projects including the construction of a pond for educational wildlife studies.

The Barton Fields project is the third environmental scheme in Abingdon.

Town and district councillor Peter Green is co-ordinating a project to restore the Ock Valley walk, and there are long-term plans to create a nature park along the Ock floodplain, south of the Tesco store.