Common Blue Heggs Farm
Local Nature Recovery Strategy Consultation
North Yorkshire County Council has launched a six-week public consultation on its Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS)—a legal requirement for all local authorities under the Environment Act 2021. Its main aims are to 1) agree priorities for nature’s recovery, such as increasing woodland cover or creating wetlands; 2) map the most valuable existing areas for nature; and 3) map specific proposals for creating and improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals. The consultation will end the week commencing 11 August, and the new LNRS is due to be published by the end of the year. Read more on the NYCC website.
New reserve in the heart of the Dales will return rainforests to Yorkshire
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has announced the opening of a new nature reserve, Park Gill, in the Yorkshire Dales. Park Gill contains fragmented patches of temperate rainforest, a rare and threatened habitat type which remains in only a few locations across the British Isles. The habitat requires high humidity, regular rainfall, and mild temperatures that remain fairly stable throughout the year, making the perfect conditions for the moisture-loving plants and lichens that temperate rainforests are known for. Read more about this endangered habitat on the Lost Rainforests of Britain website; a project spearheaded by Guy Shrubsole, who has written a fantastic book of the same name.
Tree planting rates hit their highest level in 20 years
The latest Forestry Commission figures show that over the past year, 5,765 hectares of new woodland were established in England. This means that woodland creation rates over the past year were 27% higher than in 2023/24, and 156% higher than in 2021/22 (when the Tree Planting Programme was in its infancy). In addition, 888,000 trees were planted outside woodland, bringing the total area of tree canopy established and numbers of trees planted to 7,164 hectares; the equivalent to 10,000 football pitches.
Richard Chapman, Deputy Director for DEFRA’s Nature for Climate Fund Tree Programme, said: “We’re making a meaningful difference: reconnecting people with nature, restoring our landscapes, and putting down the roots for a greener, more resilient future.” Read the full report on the Forestry Commission blog.
Yorkshire Water customers urged to be more careful about water consumption
In addition to the recently announced hosepipe ban, Yorkshire Water has urged all customers to be more careful about their water consumption. Yorkshire has experienced its driest spring since 1871 and the Environment Agency declared the region to be in a state of drought in June. Not only does this mean reservoirs have not received much water during this time, but according to Yorkshire Water (YW), customer demand has also been noticeably higher than normal throughout the spring—using an extra 80 million litres of water each day (equivalent to the entire daily water supply needed for a large area like York and Harrogate combined). Read more on the YW website.
Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust support petition to stop pet pesticides polluting waterways
Millions of doses of pet flea and tick treatments containing imidacloprid and fipronil are sold without prescription in the UK every year. These powerful insecticides—which have been restricted in farming for the past 7 years—are still freely available in supermarkets and from online retailers; polluting our rivers and harming wildlife. The Exmoor Society have launched a campaign to raise awareness of this toxic issue, which the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust is supporting.
The campaign aims to: 1. Ban the sale of imidacloprid and fipronil-based pet parasite treatments except by veterinary prescription; 2. Immediately improve warning labels to highlight the environmental harm of these products; and 3. Support research into safer, eco-friendly alternatives for parasite control. You can add your details to the petition here.
NB Consulted vets recommend oral treatments like Bravecto, as the chemicals only come out in the poo—which can be bagged and go into landfill. They also suggest only treating fleas when your pet gets them, not preventatively which is what the sellers advocate.
Seedling Potting on Day 21st June
A number of Sustainable Swaledale volunteers met at The Hub, Arkengarthdale to pot on seedlings and cuttings that have been growing in seed boxes for the last 9-18 months (some seeds take two winters to germinate). We potted on tea leaved, creeping and eared willows that had sprouted following the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) workshop held at Gunnerside back in October. We also potted on rowan, bird cherry, hazel, birch, alder and oak, all germinated from local seed/nuts collected from semi-ancient woodland with permission of local landowners.
We have now filled the two pallet collar creches at The Hub and the creches at Reeth Surgery are also full: All saplings large enough to plant on will be included as part of our fifth tree planting season this autumn—the final step in our continuing seed to sapling cycle.
Many thanks to YDMT for sponsoring the event and all the volunteers who gave up their time.
If you would like to join us for our seed collection walks this autumn; and/or get involved in our tree planting season (Nov 2025-March 2026), please get in touch by email and we will add you to the info mailing list: info@sustainableswaledale.org.
Woodland Trust’s State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report 2025
Every four years, the Woodland Trust reports on the state of the UK’s woods and trees. The 2025 report has just been published and contains three key findings: 1. Woodland cover is increasing, but that tells us little about resilience; 2. Woodlands and trees provide vital benefits to people as well as wildlife; and 3. Our woods and trees face many threats (including pests, pollution and climate change). You can read the full summary, which includes solutions and recommended policy actions, on the Woodland Trust website.
Yorkshire Dales National Park Sustainable Development Fund
People or local organisations looking to improve the environment in the National Park, in ways that will also benefit local communities or the local economy, are being invited to apply to the Sustainable Development Fund, which this year has a budget of £100,000. Read more on the YDNPA website.
Monitoring that matters: how data supports natural flood solutions
Natural flood management (NFM) works best when we know what makes a difference. That is the focus of Ousewem’s latest short film, Measuring impact: How monitoring shapes the future of NFM.
Rachel Flood, Ousewem’s project manager, explains: “Monitoring isn’t just about gathering data, it’s about building confidence. We need to understand what works, where, and why. That insight is vital not only for landowners and delivery teams, but also for funders and policymakers. At Ousewem, we’re working to make monitoring more meaningful, so it supports better decisions across the board.”
Filmed at April’s Yorkshire NFM Community of Practice event, and along Crimple Beck, the film explores how better data can guide funding, land use and long-term resilience. It also asks: how do we balance scientific rigour with practical, scalable insight? You can watch the film here.
If you’re interested in flood resilience projects or think your land could benefit from fully funded NFM measures, visit www.ousewem.co.uk or email the team at ousewem@york.gov.uk.
Nature-based family activities at YHA Grinton Lodge this summer
A series of nature-based sessions are being held at YHA Grinton Lodge on selected dates throughout July and August. Activities include family bushcraft, shelter building and nature arts and crafts. All sessions are suitable for kids from pre school age and upwards. For more info please email grintongroups@yha.org.uk.
Free artist-led Swaledale Sound Walks, 23-25 July
Led by artists Tim Shaw and John Coburn, this series of free sound walks enables groups of up to 15 participants to explore areas of Swaledale from a whole new perspective, using a range of microphones to capture and mix the real time sounds of the immediate environment—from birdlife, to life under water, to otherwise imperceptible sounds like vibrations and electro magnetic sounds. There are four walks taking place at locations in Muker, Low Row and Crackpot Hall, Keld. Wireless headphones are provided. Read more and sign up on Eventbrite.
Meet The Yorkshire Naturalists Union: Who, what and why
Come and find out about the Yorkshire Naturalists Union (YNU), one of the region’s oldest wildlife organisations; devoted to studying and recording Yorkshire’s flora and fauna. Andy Millard, YNU Executive Committee Chair will be talking about the work of the organisation at the next Sustainable Swaledale Meeting, held at Reeth Memorial Hall on Thursday 4th September, starting at 7pm.
Andy formerly lectured in ecology and landscape science at Leeds Beckett University, and currently tutors for the Open University in environmental science. He is the YNU recorder for aculeate hymenoptera (infraorder of insects) and also helps to run the Leeds Naturalists’ Club. His talk is open to all.
Core Group Meeting
Sustainable Swaledale Meeting, held at Reeth Memorial Hall on Thursday 4th September, starting at 7pm. see above for further details.