Durham Wildlife Trust
Houghton le Spring, UK
Durham Wildlife Trust promotes nature conservation, protects wildlife and encourages local people to become actively involved and engaged with the natural environment, which can offer benefits to the individual and wider society. Our areas of activity are from Tees to Tyne working throughout County Durham, Gateshead, Sunderland, South Tyneside and Darlington. We manage 37 nature reserves that wildlife can thrive and flourish. Public access is maintained and promoted so local people can visit, enjoy the habitats and beautiful landscapes we look after. Communities are encouraged to get involved in various ways: • volunteering either out on the reserves, helping with education sessions or in the visitor centres, • running environmental education and training programmes for children, young people and adults – from April 2018 38 schools and 5 home schools sessions have been to Rainton Meadows to attend educational activities, plus 89 pupils from Thornhill Schools (a specialist school supporting children with autism) visit regularly, • working with local wildlife groups across the area to help them to make a positive difference where they live through practical action. • running two Visitor Centres at our flagship nature reserves, Low Barns and Rainton Meadows that provide opportunities to engage people in wildlife conservation and encourage their active support and participation. Here are a few headline figures • There are 273 people registered as volunteers, • There are 45 children that meet monthly at the Watch Groups and 20 young people regularly volunteer as Young Rangers • 100s of adults have participated in events and training across our area learning how to identify and survey moths, butterflies and dragonflies. • In August 15 families attended our second wildlife festival, Camp Derwent at Derwent Water and spent the weekend discovering wildlife. • In August we held our first ever 5km fun run and 1km toddle attend by 95 runners and 32 children. We are holding a 3km fun run at the end of January, which has sold out, with 105 people entered. • Four schools and various community groups participated in an art project with local artists to revitalise the interior of the bird hide at Low Barns Nature Reserve. • Naturally Social is new project based in Stanley which aims to bring people together in the natural environment and help tackle loneliness and social isolation. We work with local communities, landowners and partners to deliver large scale conservation projects. These projects aim to connect fragmented habitats, conserve specific species, engage local people and improve the overall quality of the natural environment for everyone to enjoy. :
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