Our settlements of all sizes are already home to a variety of wildlife. These can be found in natural habitats such as wooded areas, semi-natural grasslands, ponds, rivers, and streams, or by making the most of man-made features, such as buildings, gardens, drains, ornamental shrubs, and street trees. To ensure that our urban spaces support as much wildlife as possible, including those species in decline, we must maximise opportunities to create more ‘traditional’ habitats as part of our urban green and blue spaces, whilst also allowing for more innovative approaches such as green roofs and rainwater gardens to become the norm.
Many products are sold to support nature but can fail to achieve the promoted results. The HEY LNRS will provide guidance for partners on the best ways to create shelters and food sources for species, sharing successes so that we can understand how nature is recovering in our towns as well as the countryside.
The risks to our urban communities from climate change and more frequent extreme weather events, such as flooding, heatwaves, and drought, are increasing. Good urban design and retrofitting can also create more space for water to reduce the impacts of flooding whilst supporting nature. Increasing our tree cover can also help clean our air as well as help cool our settlements during increasingly hot periods. Creating more space for nature can also provide more beautiful places to live and work, make our urban spaces more appealing to spend time in, support physical and mental wellbeing, as well as inspire people to come together.
The improved management of grassland and verges to increase biodiversity is critical in urban environments, as these can provide connectivity and create thriving habitats for insects, birds, and mammals. The aim of the HEY LNRS is to embed large-scale acceptance of urban landscape change over time to make a real and lasting impact.
Bats, Hedgehog, Otter, Water Vole, Swift, House Martin, Kittiwake, Bullfinch, Redwing, Fieldfare, Starling, House sparrow, Common Frog, Common Toad, Great Crested Newt, bumblebees, and Brimstone Butterfly.
Deciduous woodland, wet woodland, street trees, hedgerows, scrub, species-rich grasslands, wetlands, ponds, drains, and ditches.
Climate resilience, health and wellbeing, and natural flood management.
West Hull has been an amateur rugby club in the city for 50 years. The West Hull ARLFC Community Hub contacted Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to enquire about putting up some bird nest boxes around the site. This led to considering how the area is maintained and scope to use spaces differently, and how to create opportunities for other groups, beyond those playing rugby.
Hedgerows are now cut on a rotational basis, rather than every year, so they can fill out and flower and fruit properly. By having more natural wavy edges to the borders rather than straight edges and mowing the areas just beyond the pitches less often, wildflowers are able to come through. A woodland walk has been developed in one of the thicker perimeter hedges, so that people can wander through and experience the wildlife present. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust helped create a new meadow area, where the grasses grow all through the summer to provide a food source and habitat for insects and small mammals. Tree planting around the edges of the site is increasing habitat for birds, including Common Whitethroat, sparrows, and finches.
Mown pathways and seating allow people to explore. The Community Hub’s original plans focused on ensuring 30% of the site was functioning well for nature by 2030, which they achieved in the first year of the project. They now want to improve the quality and variety of delivery for nature. Going forward, this ‘Nature Plan’ is embedded into the organization, both as a Community Hub and a rugby club. This helps inform all levels of activity and governance, from decisions around site management and resource purchasing to the nature-themed activity days that are organised with community members.