Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Greater Hull Project

The aim of this project is to protect and enhance wildlife sites and green spaces around the City of Hull.  The programme currently consists of three areas;

1. Natural Play in Hull - the main aim of the project is to improve natural sites for play and to encourage families to visit and explore these spaces.
2. School grounds and community action in South West Holderness funded by Saltend Co-generation. The project is working in Paull, Hedon and Preston parishes to create wildlife areas and raise awareness of the wildlife that can be found here.  The project works with 8 schools to improve their grounds for wildlife.
3. We are working in partnership with a number of organisations to create wildlife areas.  These projects include working with groups in Cottingham to create a wild flower meadow and nature trail, a wildlife garden at Skidby Mill for East Riding of Yorkshire Council and a number of school grounds projects in Hull.

The projects other aim includes taking forward the Hull Biodiversity Action Plan and Nature Conservation Strategy for Hull.  These projects are currently at an early stage of development, but future plans include creating a new Local Nature Reserve on the Former Longhill Tree Nursery, a large site in East Hull. This will be the first Nature Reserve to be established within the City. We will also be working in partnership with three schools in Bransholme to protect and develop a community wildlife site. 

Natural Play project description

The project will develop 8 sites for natural play around the Hull area.  The aims of the project are;

• To provide an alternative play experience for children and young people
• To help children and young people explore their local environment and help to create the natural play areas. To deliver a different play experience by allowing children and young people to design the areas at Longhill and Alderman Kneeshaw Playing Fields
• To train play workers in delivering environmental activities such as mini beast hunts, creating willow domes, den building and out door fire sites, practical conservation work and earth walks.

Children and young people will be encouraged to become part of the groups who design, implement and maintain the spaces developed on some of the sites. 

The sites the project takes place on area: 

• Alderman Kneeshaw Playing Field, Amethyst Road, Bilton Grange, East Hull – fitness trail, tree planting and willow structure
• Longhill Mound, Longhill Playing Fields, Frome Road, Longhill, East Hull – fitness trail, tree planting and willow structure
• Pearson Park Wildlife Garden, Princes Avenue, Hull – enhancement of the wildlife garden with new planting, story telling area and pond management
• Children’s Wood, Cropton Road, Bricknell Estate, West Hull – development of story telling area and woodland exploration area
• Rockford Field, Rockford Avenue, Stoneferry, East Hull – new ponds and dipping platform to be installed
• Birch Plantation, Priory Way, Hessle Road, West Hull – Woodland survival expereince
• Oak Road, Berriesford Avenue, North Hull – pond dipping platforms, willow growing area and structures
• Princess Elizabeth Playing Fields, Hall Road, Orchard Park North Hull(Barmston Drain) – new pond dipping platforms.

South West Holderness Saltend Co-generation Project

This project has included working with Paull Primary School, to create a new wildlife area. This has been created at Paull Primary School using shrubs and trees.

Future projects

• A small tree planting and meadow creation project are to take place in Watson Park in Hedon this December and further pond restoration work will take place on the Horse Well in Hedon.
• Two school wildlife gardens are to be created in the autumn term at Thorngumbald and Keyingham Primary Schools.

Other Hull projects

Mill Beck Wildlife Area and King George V Woodland

The Trust is working in partnership with Cottingham Wild Spaces Group to develop these sites for wildlife on the edge of Cottingham.  The wildlife area is now a meadow which is cut once a year in September. Species present include bird’s-foot trefoil and pignut.The field and woodland are home to many species of common birds. The site is used for informal recreation.

Projects at this site include;

• The installation of 6 sculpted way markers, a willow tunnel, bird boxes and tree planting has now been completed.
• The community group meet once every two months to carry out a litter pick here.
• Future developments include the management of the trees and ensuring the meadow retains its diversity.

Skidby Mill Wildlife Garden

Here we are working in partnership with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s museums service a small wildlife garden has been created at Skidby Mill.