Nottinghamshire is historically bound to its natural environment, with the legendary tales of Robin Hood set in the world-renowned Sherwood Forest.
Despite this rich history, the county has long suffered a decline in green space and biodiversity following the birth of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century – as a result, Nottinghamshire’s landscapes are under increasing pressure. Concerted efforts are now being made to revive the county’s wildlife and green areas, led by a multitude of organisations and action groups.
In the 1200s, thought to be the time of the bowman’s pomp, it is estimated that Sherwood Forest covered around 100,000 acres – 100 times its current size. The city also used to be characterised by vast marshland, a large portion of which has been greatly reduced since industrialisation began two centuries ago. Nottinghamshire now faces one of its greatest challenges – reversing this trend and restoring its nature and biodiversity back to a healthy level.
Among the most notable of initiatives currently underway is the Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group, a collaboration of several smaller teams that all pull together to help conserve the county’s wildlife. Chris Jackson, biodiversity officer working for the action group, touched on the team’s success: “This work has seen the restoration of typical Sherwood habitats – heath, acid grassland, wood pasture, woodland – and these new sites have in turn created links between well-established core areas of good habitat.”
The process of identifying hotspots for improvement comes from accessing a resource prepared by the action group to track areas of great potential: “There are a number of areas that have been prioritised through a piece of work called the Biodiversity Opportunity Map for Notts. Within this work we have identified a number of focal areas where we have noted that there are a concentration of opportunities for biodiversity,” Jackson explained.
The use of focus areas allows the action group to prioritise involvement in a certain area, in a way that grants the greatest possible benefit for wildlife. One focus area is Calverton, a key location that was identified as an opportunity for woodland growth in the county, on the periphery of Sherwood Forest. “There have been a few notable species that have been recorded after a long period of absence – black oil beetle, hazel pot beetle, diamondback spider.”
The arrival of such species underlines the progress made by groups like the Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group. These results are encouraging signs for the county, showing a shift in trajectory after many years of decline. However, it has not all been plain sailing for the team. When questioned about the greatest challenges to the action group, Jackson specified: “Habitat fragmentation – working with partners and landowners to try and make sites less isolated and more joined up.”
Green space in England has increasingly been divided by urban development, breaking large, continuous habitats into smaller, more isolated patches. Species which rely on connected green corridors to move freely, find food and reproduce have now become particularly vulnerable. Fragmentation not only reduces diversity by isolating populations but also increases the risk of extinction for detached species.
Above all, the most limiting factor to conserving wildlife and green areas is accessing sufficient funding: “We are aware of how we can help certain habitats and species but often we don’t have the resources to do this work on scale,” Jackson concluded. Nottinghamshire County Council do not publicly state the exact percentage of its budget allocated specifically to wildlife regeneration, leaving plenty of uncertainty for the continued success of projects like this one.
Another great concern for not just Nottinghamshire, but the whole of the UK, has been the decline of pollinators over recent decades. According to numbers recorded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the country saw an overall decrease of 24% in the distribution of pollinators from 1980 to 2022. This is not only bad news for bees, butterflies and beetles, but for greater plant reproduction, which ultimately impacts global food supply.
A senior lecturer in the field, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted the importance of these invertebrates: “Insects are arguably the most vital organisms on Earth, representing approximately 75-80% of global biodiversity. They serve as ecosystem engineers, pollinators, and natural regulators – roles that are essential to the stability and functioning of ecosystems. Birds are of course nice – but what we do know is that they are absolutely dependent upon the insects.”
The modern decline of insects is a serious issue, they added: “If insects were to disappear, the resulting collapse of ecosystems would be catastrophic. Alarmingly, some studies suggest a staggering 60% decline in insect biodiversity over the past decade. This is a deeply concerning trend that demands immediate and sustained action.” This is deeply troubling, but the worst may be yet to come – the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) claims that up to 40% of the world’s insect species may go extinct before the turn of the century.
Such a frightening prospect makes it clear that drastic measures must be taken. According to Wildlife Trusts, a third of our food crops are pollinated by insects, showing that the stakes are high for humans too. The realisation of this bleak proposition has provoked a rise in efforts to protect our six-legged friends, such as the Action for Insects campaign, which attempts to influence local authorities to reduce pesticide use across the country.
There has also been a positive shift in efforts towards insect conservation, particularly in Nottinghamshire, noted the senior lecturer: “A lot of this has come from changing attitudes – extensively managed lawns, more native plants in our parks and gardens, and generally a more positive attitude to nature. We can always do more as a society, but the efforts of those organisations fighting for wildlife and green space in the face of urban encroachment should be applauded!”
The county of Nottinghamshire has historically boasted a vibrant mosaic of varied habitats, serving as an important stronghold for nature in the East Midlands. The ancient oak trees of Sherwood Forest provide essential habitats for rare insects, birds, and mammals found nowhere else in the region. However, not only does the county offer lodging to arboreal species, but it also offers marshland adequate for hosting a vast array of unique species, native and non-native.
However, much like the county’s forestry coverage, the amount of wetland has greatly decreased in recent times. Heavily populated suburbs of the city, such as The Meadows, were once vast fields and marshland. These areas were drained to make way for housing, eventually becoming part of the City of Nottingham district. This problem is not unique to Nottinghamshire; rather, it resembles a bigger picture – the UK as a whole has lost an astonishing 90% of its former wetlands, making way for agriculture, development and forestry among others.
Despite this, wetland reserves in Nottinghamshire, such as Idle Valley and Attenborough Nature Reserve, are still crucial for migratory birds, amphibians, and aquatic life. These areas are some examples of the county’s ecological success stories, transforming gravel pits into large bodies of water where nature can flourish. These sites have become known for sporting specialised flora and fauna not found elsewhere in the country, becoming the home to unlikely visitors, such as the Egyptian Goose, typically native to Sub-Saharan Africa.
The introduction of non-native species is not always a good thing, as invasive species can disrupt local ecosystems and often outcompete native species. One of the most notable examples is the grey squirrel, typically native to Eastern North America, whose introduction to the UK has largely pushed its Eurasian counterpart out of England and up into Scotland. Nowadays, the grey squirrel population outnumbers the native red squirrel by a ratio of almost 10:1.
Arguably the most instrumental charity involved in the county’s nature restoration is Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, protecting and enhancing local wildlife since 1963. As one of the UK’s 46 Wildlife Trusts, they are responsible for the protection of 60 nature reserves across the county, covering more than 2,000 acres of habitat.
Volunteer at the Trust, Jesse Poole, spoke about the importance of the work he contributes to: “Over the years, like much of the UK, Nottinghamshire’s wildlife has been a victim of urbanisation and habitat loss. The conservation of these ecosystems allows for a variety of species to inhabit a protected area, therefore increasing biodiversity in an environment mostly unaffected by human activity.”
“Alongside other organisations such as Forestry England and Nottinghamshire County Council, Notts Wildlife Trust works to conserve various ecosystems across their reserves. As well as managing our reserves, we do our best to engage with the community, with regular events and voluntary opportunities,” he explained.
The importance of volunteers cannot be understated, especially when money is hard to come by. Poole spoke about the importance of spreading the message and encouraging more people to join the cause: “It is vital that we raise awareness of conservation efforts in the local area, and that those that want to help know where to look to volunteer and contribute.”
“I feel that we have come far as a community in Nottinghamshire to be more environmentally aware but as in any case, there is definitely still room for improvement,” he added. There are currently over 38,000 volunteers at Wildlife Trusts across the UK, an encouraging number, but work is still to be done – extra pairs of hands are needed.
The impact of a collective contribution can go a long way to bringing Nottinghamshire back to where it used to be, he said: “I am optimistic, however, for the future of conservation in this area with a growing impetus in restoration efforts and raising awareness of environmental issues. Changes in legislation such as the UK governments decision to allow for beavers to be introduced to river catchments are very positive.”
Most importantly, it is crucial that everyone pulls in the same direction, and can understand the impact of their actions, Poole stressed: “Education on conservation and its importance is a foremost priority to all wildlife enthusiasts. It is also very important that people know how their actions affect ecosystems, such as littering or fly-tipping.”
Littering and fly-tipping are especially destructive in a place like Nottinghamshire, with its advanced network of waterways and marshland supplied by the River Trent. According to Hippowaste, Nottingham has reported the fifth-highest rate of fly-tipping incidents in England. Some argue that the local authorities must issue stronger punishments, with the current proposition of fixed penalty notices failing to deter offenders.
Outside of volunteering, it is still possible to contribute from the comforts of your own home. Notts Wildlife Trust provide guidelines for growing flowers at home in outside space, as well as preaching the dangers of applying pesticides in the garden and the use of other harmful chemical agents. The consequences of our actions are now clearer than ever, thanks to organisations like Notts Wildlife Trust bringing light to harmful home practices.
Whether the results of all these efforts will ultimately be enough remains to be seen, but it at least shows the imperative to begin fixing a major issue. In a global sense, destruction of the natural world is destined to come full circle, promising to devastate the human world in equal measure to the devastation initially dealt to it. On a local scale, endeavours made by the Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group and Notts Wildlife Trust and others are a big step in the right direction – but more must be done.
Photographic Journalism 
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