Community bug hunts - a great way to get involved
Bug hunting on the bank side at Carr House
© Paul Fox edit_0.jpg "Community bug hunts - a great way to get involved - © Paul Fox")
Monitoring wetland wildlife
Invertebrate surveying at Bransholme
© Paul Fox web.jpg "Monitoring wetland wildlife - © Paul Fox")
West Beck chalk stream in Wansford Bridge
A Site of Special Scientific Interest, the beautiful clear waters of this River Hull tributary are home to brown trout and chub
© Jon Traill
The most northerly chalk river in the UK, the River Hull’s headwaters are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for their chalk stream features. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is working with landowners and agencies to promote positive management of the catchment, recognising the great potential for beneficial ecological restoration in the area
Working with local people for the benefit of wildlife, the River Hull project officially started in late 2008 and builds on our ongoing work towards our Living Landscapes vision.
The aim of the project is to restore, enhance and create new wetland habitats for the benefit of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species and habitats throughout the river valley.
The main focus of this is around the river Hull itself, but work is also being carried out on adjacent land where new wetland habitat can provide huge benefits to the wide variety of plant and animal species.
Among the species to benefit are:
Local pride and a sense of ownership will be at the heart of the work we want to undertake
Water vole - now recognised as one of Britain’s fastest disappearing mammals, but still enjoying a stronghold in the River Hull valley.
Otter - Recovering from a critically low population in the 1970’s, with lack of suitable undisturbed habitat the main modern day issue.
Farmland birds - although often not directly linked to wetlands, many farmland bird species greatly benefit from wet areas. Species such as lapwing and grey partridge need wet areas to allow young chicks to feed on insects, and barn owls hunt amongst the thick bank side vegetation alongside watercourses and in wet grasslands, looking for small mammals.
Amphibians - much work is targeted on ponds, with the restoration and management of existing ponds as well as creation of new ones. By creating a network of ponds across the landscape – both rural and urban, frogs, toads and newts can be greatly helped.
As well as working to benefit wildlife in the wider countryside we will also be working alongside local communities by providing lots of opportunities to get involved with the project. The aim is to increase public access and provide recreational and health benefits through new ‘green gym’ opportunities.
A range of talks, walks and events is taking place through the whole river valley from Driffield in the north of the catchment to the city of Hull in the south. By engaging with people of all ages from urban, suburban and rural areas we aim to not only educate people about the importance of the river valley for people and wildlife, but also to show them how they can be involved in looking after it for future generations.
Fact files... want to know more?
An interesting collection of fact files about the creatures and habitats we are working to conserve are available for you to download at the bottom of this page.
Contact
Email Project Officer Jon Traill for more information.
Downloads
| Filename | File size |
|---|---|
| European Otter.pdf | 314.93 KB |
| Otter fencing.pdf | 956.14 KB |
| Water voles.pdf | 127.59 KB |
| Water vole survey signs.pdf | 483.89 KB |
| Ponds.pdf | 418.4 KB |
| Reedbeds.pdf | 305.75 KB |
| Woodland management and riverbank restoration.pdf | 429.15 KB |
| Drains, Ditches and Dykes.pdf | 277.34 KB |