We take care of 15 nature reserves (almost 600 hectares) across Sheffield and Rotherham where you can enjoy nature and where our conservation work helps the wildlife you love to thrive, whilst working towards creating a network for nature.
Highlights from 2018-19
- 590 Hectares managed by the Trust
- 82 days of essential maintenance carried out
- 75% of our biodiversity management plan met (we had a target of 70%)
- 80 page report submitted to HS2 ltd highlighting threats and opportunities for nature as HS2 develops
- 20 project themes launched as part of the Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Key access objectives delivered – The bridleway at Moss Valley was greatly improved, channeling visitor traffic and helping prevent erosion of the precious wildflower habitat.
- Monitoring framework for nature reserves established as part of our National Lottery Heritage Funded ‘Data 4 Nature’ project – Monitoring volunteers worked alongside expert ecologists to establish baselines for all of the nature reserves. For example the extent of the harvest mouse population at Woodhouse Washlands was discovered.
Highlights from 2017-18
- Twenty-three species of butterfly were recorded at Centenary Riverside nature reserve in 2017, including the common blue, brown argus and dingy skipper, and for the first time in many years, we recorded a nesting pair of pied flycatcher at Wyming Brook after working hard to improve the woodland for them.
- We took on two new nature reserves in Low Spring Wood – a 4.5 hectare semi-natural ancient woodland site, which will become part of our Greno Woods reserve; and Kilnhurst Ings in Rotherham is now on a 25-year lease to the Trust from the Environment Agency.
- Thanks to funding from Viridor Credits, we’ve created nine new ponds and restored two existing ponds at Woodhouse Washlands, as well as extending the network of wet ditches and completing work on a new footpath, offcially opened by the Deputy Lord Mayor.
- We published the Sheffield State of Nature 2018 report – the first of its kind and the exciting culmination of our two-year Nature Counts partnership project – assessing how Sheffield’s wildlife and wild spaces are faring.
Highlights from 2016-17
- Since taking over management of Woodhouse Washlands in spring 2016, we have undertaken a major programme of habitat restoration on this wetland nature reserve, improving it for wildlife and local residents.
- Wyming Brook once again received a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.
- Following work to re-wet the site at Kilnhurst Ings, snipe overwintered in record numbers and we recorded first records of black-tailed skimmer dragonfly as well as two little egrets.
- We recorded signs of otter along the length of the River Don through our Nature Counts project.