News

Report of activities in 2017 – 2018.

Derby City Council.
A solid working relationship continues with the Parks Department at the City Council through the Green Spaces Forum which meets 3 times a year.
The Parks Department secured funding through the Higher Level Stewardship scheme, and the DerwentWise project which have enabled a huge amount of work to be achieved over the last 3 years.
David Winslow, Community Parks Officer continues to provide invaluable expertise, advice and support to the management group.

Higher Level Stewardship Funding
The main aim of this funding is to improve the biodiversity of the main central grassland area through managed conservation grazing.  This careful management will have a positive effect on local wildlife and habitat by creating species rich, semi natural grassland.
Grazing continued in October and November 2017 with a small herd of 11 cattle, and may be followed by sheep later in 2018.
Extensive scrub clearance on the main part of the site, and on the access paths has continued to be carried out by the Derby Parks Volunteers. We are most grateful to them for the very high standard of their work.

DerwentWise.
We hope to evaluate the feasibility of improving the swamp which is drying up, and of reclaiming the "Temple" masonry from the stream bed. The Temple is now registered by ArcHeritage as a new site in the "Heritage at Risk Project".

Management Plan.
This is currently being revised and will cover a 10 year period from 2018.
We have completed all of the management tasks for the year.

Information.
Our website www.darleyandnutwood.org.uk is regularly up registers for mammals, insects and fungi.
I am very pleased to record that Hans Rieder received a volunteers award at the Green Spaces Forum in November, for his dedicated work in developing our website. The award recognises Hans' skill, dedication and hard work in running the Darley and Nutwood LNR website for 10 years and especially for developing a unique set of wildlife registers - an invaluable and enduring resource.

Events held in 2017.
Open Meeting - Monday 10 April 6.00 – 8.00 pm
Spring Clean – Saturday 1st April 10.00am – noon.
Spring bird walk – Sunday 23rd April 6.00 – 8.00 am.  Led by Paul Highman.
Mini Beast Hunt – Sunday 21st May -10am to Noon. Led by Beverley Rhodes. This was a new event, aimed at young children and their families, and was a success.
Volunteer Days:  Balsam Pulling – on 3 dates arranged by Peter Hill.
Wild Flower Walk – Sunday 25th June 2.00 – 4.00pm.  Led by Drs. Peter Hill and Alan Wilmott.
Bush Cricket and insect hunt - Sunday 20th August. 2.00 – 4.00pm. Led by Felicity Jackson.
Open Meeting – Tuesday 7th November 7.30 pm.  Methodist Hall, Darley Abbey.
Fungus Foray – Sunday 22nd Oct. 10.00 – noon. Led by Beverley Rhodes. A WHS Discovery Day event.

Surveys:
Birds – no new species recorded this year, bringing the total to101. Paul Highman has continued to record all his sightings  monthly.
Butterfly transect – completed for 9th successive year by Alan Jones. 21 recorded on site. (for the 2017 report)
Flowers - 8 new species recorded by Peter Hill in 2017, 1. Common dog violet (Viola riviniana); 2. Germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys); 3. Hoary plantain (Plantago media); 4. Fringe cups (Tellima grandiflora, perennial from N. America); 5. Feverfew  (Tanacetum parthenium, perennial from Eurasia);
6. Monkeyflower (Mimulus gutattus, perennial from N. America); 7.Yellow water-lily (Nuphar lutea);  8. Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale).       A total of 145 wild flower species were recorded in 2017; the combined total for 2016 and 2017 was 157 species. 
Pyramidal orchid study – Peter and Charlie Hill have continued a controlled study of the Pyramidal orchid patch. It was a good year for the Pyramidal orchids with 133 flowering spikes; 28 in the "control" area, 88 in the "intervention" area and 14 near to, but outside, the original area.   The 5 year study will conclude with the 2018 flowering season. 
Awards.
              Our Green Flag Award has been renewed. It was made possible thanks to David Winslow's submission for the award.

Lecture.
Keith Dodd and Alan Jones gave an illustrated lecture about the nature reserve to the Derby Natural History Society in 2017, and to the Allestree branch of the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust in 2018.

KLD 06/03/18