Great crested newts at Red River. Salmon returning to the River Ecclesbourne. These local stories show the difference community action can make for nature protection and restoration across Amber Valley.
Amber Valley Borough Council hosted the latest meeting of the Amber Valley Nature Network at The Grammar in Heanor on Saturday 3 October. Led by its members, the network brings local groups together to share their work, learn from each other and encourage more people to get involved.
(Pictured above: Sarah Hodgson, Project Officer (Sustainability and Biodiversity) at Amber Valley Borough Council, welcomes members and guests to the Nature Network meeting. Cllr Amina Burslem, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Street Pride and Wellbeing, joined her and opened the event.)
The local projects were at the heart of the meeting. Sharon Brown, from Friends of Red River Group, shared the group’s work at Red River Nature Reserve, including the discovery of great crested newts. She also explained how people can find out about the group’s action days.
(Pictured above: Sharon Brown, from Friends of Red River Group, talks about the group’s work at Red River Nature Reserve, including the discovery of great crested newts.)
Di Hancock, from Duffield Millennium Meadow Conservation Trust, described how the trust has transformed former grazing land into a nature reserve. The site now offers an accessible walk where visitors can enjoy the meadow and its wildlife.
There were ideas for protecting nature beyond the reserves, too. Issy Spoerry, from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Wild Solutions team, explained how the team works with landowners to improve Local Wildlife Sites. A video of Linhay Meadows showed changes made to one site in the borough.
Anita Lawrence, from Mid-Derbyshire Badger Group, shared the group’s work to improve badger welfare and conservation, including practical ways residents can help. Tim Jacklin, from the Wild Trout Trust, described the trust’s work restoring rivers to improve habitat for wild brown trout, including projects in Amber Valley.
(Pictured above: Tim Jacklin, from the Wild Trout Trust, talks about river restoration and improving habitats for wild brown trout.)
Alongside the talks, families took part in a nature-based activity provided by Infinite Wellbeing CIC. It gave children a chance to explore nature close to home and build a connection with local wildlife and green spaces.
The meeting also looked at nature recovery across the wider county. Tim Brooke, Derbyshire County Council’s Local Nature Recovery Coordinator, introduced the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and its mapping portal, which highlights opportunities to help nature recover.
Councillor Amina Burslem, Amber Valley Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Street Pride and Wellbeing, opened the meeting and thanked everyone who shared their work. She said: "It was lovely to welcome people back to the Nature Network and hear about the work happening across Amber Valley. There’s so much commitment in our communities, and it was great to see people sharing ideas and learning from each other.
"As a council, we want to play our part too. We’re working to make nature recovery part of our plans and policies, and of the way we look after our own green spaces. Events like this help us build connections, support the work already happening and encourage more people to get involved.
"Thank you to everyone who came along and shared their experience. You helped make it another successful event."
Local nature groups, organisations and individuals interested in joining the network or receiving invitations to future meetings can email climate@ambervalley.gov.uk or visit the ‘Local Groups’ section of our website for more information: https://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/environment/climate-change-and-nature/how-you-can-help-and-get-involved/
Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email enquiry@ambervalley.gov.uk
