For 60 years Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has worked to protect and enhance some of the most important places for nature in the county. The charity, which is currently celebrating its 60th Anniversary, is passionate about creating a healthy natural world which benefits everyone – but in the face of a combined nature and climate crisis the charity recognises that it can’t achieve its goals alone.
In setting out its vision to create a Wilder Nottinghamshire by 2030 the charity highlighted the need to involve and inspire more people than ever before to act locally for nature’s recovery. In November, the Trust established the Wilder Nottinghamshire Network - a community for everyone involved in nature’s recovery across the county to celebrate action, encourage collaboration and inspire others to act.
In less than six months, the fledgling network now includes over 50 groups the length and breadth of the county. Members include groups caring for local greenspaces and campaigners seeking to limit the use of chemical weedkillers on local streets. The Wildlife Trust feels strongly that all positive action for nature – from the creation of micro-habitats and local campaigns to landscape-scale projects should be recognised and valued.
Speaking about the Wilder Nottinghamshire Network, Liz Fleuty, the Trust’s Head of People & Nature said: “Such is the scale of the challenge that we can’t hope to achieve our goal of a Wilder Nottinghamshire alone. There is so much amazing work being done by volunteers, communities, landowners and businesses across the county, but we felt more could be done to celebrate positive action and ensure people felt part of a wider movement for change. By connecting individuals, groups and organisations to share knowledge, expertise and resources we hope to inspire even more people to act.”
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which manages nature reserves, stands up for wildlife within the planning system, campaigns for greater protection for wildlife and provides advice to other landowners was established 60 years ago by local people who wanted to act for nature. Six decades on, the charity still has volunteers at its heart and knows that local action, by people who know their areas best, will make the difference.
Groups already part of the network include Wild.NG, Bulwell Forest Garden and Basford Road Baptist Community Garden in Nottingham; Friends of Bingham Linear Park, Leyton Crescent Park Wildlife Group (Beeston), Wild Things Keyworth; the Lost Garden of Everton, Clarborough Primary School Gardening Club and Rufford Avenue Allotment Group; Green Southwell and Winthorpe Road Community Garden (Newark) and St Willfred's Church (Kirkby-in-Ashfield).
