Editing Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

{{short description|Wildlife conservation charity}}{{COI|date=July 2024}}

{{EngvarB|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2013}}
'''Derbyshire Wildlife Trust''' is one of 46 local [[The Wildlife Trusts|Wildlife Trusts]] around the UK working to promote and protect local wildlife. It covers the whole of [[Derbyshire]] and was founded in 1962 in response to environmental threats to the local countryside, since when it has continued to grow. The trust is now based at East Mill on the [[River Derwent, Derbyshire|River Derwent]] in the town of [[Belper]], Derbyshire. It is a registered charity (number 222212), supported by more than 14,000 members and over 500 volunteers.<ref name="annualreport2012">{{cite web|url=http://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/DWT1354_AnnualReport_2011-12.pdf|title=Annual Review 2011–12|publisher=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust|accessdate=25 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624230827/http://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/DWT1354_AnnualReport_2011-12.pdf|archive-date=24 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The trust manages over 50 nature reserves,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nature Reserves |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves |access-date=15 July 2024 |publisher=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |language=en}}</ref> covering various habitat types. Sixteen of these are [[Sites of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSIs).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nature reserves {{!}} Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserve |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DWT Nature Reserves |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/DWT12457_NatureReserves%5B295x420mm%5DCOMB_LF.pdf}}</ref> Derbyshire Wildlife Trust provides community training, activities, and environmental education. It also provides ecological surveys, advice and data to landowners and organisations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust on Community Directory Derbyshire |url=https://www.communitydirectoryderbyshire.org.uk/view/630/derbyshire-wildlife-trust |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=www.communitydirectoryderbyshire.org.uk}}</ref> Environmental education and workshops are provided at the Whistlestop Centre in [[Matlock Bath]], and the Wildlife Discovery Room at [[Carsington Water]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Education centres {{!}} Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/about/education-centres |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
The trust originated in 1962 as Derbyshire Naturalists' Trust.<ref name="history">{{Cite web |title=Our history |publisher=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/our-history |access-date=15 July 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

In the early 1960s a group of concerned people gathered together to oppose plans to tip [[fly ash]] at Ticknall Limeyards in South Derbyshire. Backed by national pressure, they were successful and decided to form a local charitable organisation to handle such issues. Derbyshire Naturalists' Trust was officially launched.<ref name="history" />

By 1967, the trust had established two nature reserves, one of them at Ticknall Limeyards itself. The other, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Morley Brickyards, was leased to the trust by its owner and is still being managed as a nature reserve. The trust also acquired Overdale, the first nature reserve that it owned outright. The {{convert|15|ha|acre|abbr=off}} of upland pasture were donated by Portland Cement to mark European Conservation Year. A bequest allowed the Trust to appoint its first member of staff in 1973.<ref name="history" />

As the trust grew, it was able to campaign more effectively, and in 1984 hit the national headlines when it won a private prosecution against five men caught [[badger baiting|badger digging]].<ref name="history" />

After rebranding to become Derbyshire Wildlife Trust in 1986, the organisation became the focus of attention again the following year when it launched an appeal to raise £200,000 to renovate the old railway station buildings at Matlock Bath and create the Whistlestop Countryside Centre, an education facility in the old railway station buildings at Matlock Bath. Later in the decade a major Heritage Lottery Fund award enabled them to develop more nature reserves work and set up a Midweek Volunteer Team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Limited |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00715675 |access-date=15 July 2024 |publisher=Companies House|language=en}}</ref>

Since 2006, the trust has launched and developed a variety of projects aimed at protecting and raising awareness of vulnerable species and habitats. These include Derby Cathedral's Peregrines Project, Great Trees of Derbyshire and Saving the Great Trees of Derbyshire - projects which have raised awareness of the importance of ancient trees - and Water for Wildlife, which has helped to restore wetland habitats. 

In 2007, the Avenue Washlands Nature Reserve near Chesterfield was opened and won first place in the Conservation category for Restoration Sites in the British Trust for Ornithology's Business Bird Challenge. In the same year, a lottery grant allowed the trust to extend its educational programme with Grounds for a Change, transforming Derbyshire school grounds into wildlife havens and outdoor learning spaces. It also took over management of Drakelow Nature Reserve in the south of the county, an important wetland site playing host to over 200 species of birds.

In early 2024, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust purchased 83-acre site Common Farm in Nether Heage to be managed as a nature reserve, following a successful fundraising campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 April 2024 |title=Wildlife campaigners buy Derbyshire farm to return it to nature |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-68669054 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=15 July 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

== Organisation ==
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is governed by a board of trustees, elected from and by the 14,000+ members, employing around 26 members of experienced staff for management and to carry out conservation and education projects. The trust relies heavily on volunteer work for help with aspects such as managing nature reserves, administration, and education work, with around 500 active volunteers.<ref name="annualreport2012" />

== List of nature reserves ==
{{colbegin}}
*The Avenue Washlands
*Barton Pool
*Broadhurst Edge Wood
*Brockholes Wood SSSI
*Carr Vale
*Carvers Rocks SSSI
*Chee Dale SSSI
*Common Farm, Nether Heage
*Cramside Wood SSSI
*Cromford Canal LNR/SSSI
*Deep Dale and Topley Pike SSSI
*Derwentside
*Drakelow
*Duckmanton Railway Cutting SSSI
*Erewash Meadows
*Gang Mine
*Golden Brook Storage Lagoon
*Hadfields Quarry
*Hartington Meadows
*Hillbridge and Park Woods
*Hilton Gravel Pits SSSI
*Hoe Grange Quarry
*Hollinhill and Markland Grips
*Holly Wood
*Hopton Quarry SSSI
*Ladybower Wood SSSI
*Lea Wood
*Lock Lane Ash Tip
*Long Clough
*Mapperley Wood
*Miller's Dale Quarry SSSI
*Morley Brickyards SSSI
*North Wingfield
*Oakerthorpe LNR
*Overdale
*Priestcliffe Lees SSSI
*Risley Glebe
*Rose End Meadows
*Rowsley Sidings
*Spring Wood SSSI
*Watford Lodge LNR
*Willington Gravel Pits
*Woodside
*[[Wyver]] Lane
{{colend}}

== Notable projects ==

=== Derby Cathedral Peregrine Watch Project ===
The Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project was launched in 2006, with the construction of a nesting platform for a pair of falcons which had unsuccessfully bred at the cathedral for two consecutive years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 April 2024 |title=First chicks of 2024 hatch in Derby Cathedral peregrine project |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-68922806 |access-date=14 July 2024 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Subsequent years have been successful, and the project began to include webcams, blogging, and viewing events set up for members of the public to be able to view the birds through telescopes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project |publisher=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/derby-cathedral-peregrine-project |access-date=14 July 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Badger Vaccination Scheme ===
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust runs the largest badger vaccination project in the country, vaccinating over 1,700 badgers since 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Badger vaccination information |url=https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/about/projects/badger-vaccination-information |access-date=14 July 2024 |publisher=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust celebrates vaccinating its 1000th badger in major vaccination scheme |url=https://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/news/environment/derbyshire-wildlife-trust-celebrates-vaccinating-its-1000th-badger-in-major-vaccination-scheme-3237936 |newspaper=Buxton Advertiser |first=Alana |last=Roberts |date=14 May 2021 |access-date=15 July 2024}}</ref>

=== Bringing Back Beavers ===
The trust successfully [[Eurasian beaver reintroduction|reintroduced a pair of Eurasian beavers]] to Willington Wetlands in 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 November 2023 |title=Delight as more baby beavers are born at Willington Wetlands |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-67353602 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=11 July 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The pair subsequently bred in 2022; this was the first wild breeding pair in Derbyshire for around 800 years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 July 2022 |title=Derbyshire: First baby beavers born in county in 800 years |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-62152374 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=11 July 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/ The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust web page]
*{{EW charity|222212}}

{{The Wildlife Trusts}}

[[Category:Wildlife Trusts of England]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Derbyshire]]
[[Category:1962 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in Derbyshire]]