Take a look, through some of the common species of wildlife that live in the South Yorkshire area around Sheffield and Rotherham.
A recently extended patch of heathland and woodland, neighbouring Wyming Brook.
Help stop the badger cull coming to Sheffield and Rotherham!
Unveil the hidden world of insects in Sheffield & Rotherham with the newest issue of Kingfisher magazine.
Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust are calling upon the new government to commit to a plan to finally halt and reverse the trend of declining nature.
Leading wildlife organisations including The Wildlife Trusts recently published a landmark State of Nature 2023 report. It shows that nature is continuing to decline at an alarming rate across the UK, which is already one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
These findings are reflected in Sheffield and Rotherham, with the near disappearance of important species including white-clawed crayfish, turtle dove and willow tit from Sheffield and the complete loss of some species, such as water vole from Rotherham.
You can find ways to take action and support our priorities for nature further down this page.
In view of the nature crisis, Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, along with colleagues across all UK Wildlife Trusts, have identified five priorities for the new government:
Priority 1:
The next UK Government must work across departments to put nature into recovery by protecting and restoring at least 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. Species like the long lost Beaver should return to Sheffield and Rotherham, and a nature recovery network should join up wild places, from our neighbourhoods to the countryside.
Find out more at The Wildlife Trusts.
Priority 2:
With the UK among the worst countries in Europe for water quality, the next Government must sufficiently fund enforcement agencies to do their job. No river in Sheffield and Rotherham is in good overall condition. By 2030, nutrient pollution from farming, sewage and development must be halved, and more wetlands should be created to tackle flood and drought.
Priority 3:
The destruction of nature and impacts of climate change are the biggest threats to food security in the UK. Farmers must be supported and incentivised to help wildlife recover by creating more space for nature, significantly reducing pollution, and halving harm from pesticides by 2030. The budget for nature-friendly farming should increase to at least £4.4 billion a year. Leading by example, Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust are planning to test and learn a nature friendly farming approach at Ughill Farm; a low grade marginal farmland site on the western edge of Sheffield.
Priority 4:
Evidence shows that a thriving, wildlife-rich environment benefits people’s physical and mental health. People with nature on their doorstep are more active, mentally resilient and have better all-round health. Wild at Heart, a locally based project run by Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust brings people together to explore and learn about wildlife and learn new skills while also building social connections. Recent analysis found that for every £1 invested in this programme there is £1.19 of additional benefit in terms of reduced costs to the NHS. The next UK Government must support the creation of more greenspace in neighbourhoods, fund and integrate green prescribing into community-based health services and enable all children to access outdoor learning opportunities.
Priority 5:
Nature can make a huge contribution to achieving net-zero targets if habitats are restored because peatlands, woodlands, and other wild places store carbon. Additionally, the next UK Government must integrate climate adaptation strategies across all departments, create a nature recovery network and invest more in nature based solutions, such as the Sheffield Limb Brook demonstrator site.
The recent General election was incredibly important for wildlife and wildspaces across the UK – the new Government will be responsible for reversing nature’s decline.
You can ensure nature is given the priority it deserves. Find out all you need to know about The Wildlife Trusts’ priorities and how you can act with nature in mind, below.
Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust encourage supporters to write to your MPs to let them know you support the above priorities for nature. You can use our guide to Lobbying your MP. If you would like to talk to us about lobbying your MP, or share how your conversation went, email takeaction@wildsheffield.com.
Please complete the Wildlife Trust’s Satisfaction Action to let us know how satisfied you are with your local MPs surrounding the issues highlighted on this page, or with a conversation you’ve had with them.
We can use this feedback to shape future conversations with local MPs and elected representatives to push our 5 priorities for nature.
Your data will be used to identify your constituency, and to provide you with updates around this action (should you opt in):
In June, Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, along with a number of other wildlife and environment groups, supported and attended a march to Parliament Square in London. The event was a celebration of nature and had one simple demand to the new Government: to ‘Restore Nature Now’.
If you attended this event and would like to share feedback, or are interested in supporting or attending future activities, please contact takeaction@wildsheffield.com.