The Derwent Living Forest comes to Tideswell

Tideswell is now adding to the Derwent Living Forest. A small parcel of land in Sherwood Road at the top of Sunny Bank Lane has been recently rewilded by the local landowner. The Derwent Living Forest is an ambitious nature restoration programme across the Derbyshire Derwent catchment. The Derwent Living Forest will not only provide an extensive haven of quality habitat for wildlife but will also offer further ecosystem services such as natural flood management benefits and increased carbon sequestration to assist in adapting to and reducing the impacts of climate change.

The vision of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is to create 30,000 hectares of wooded habitats (such as woodland, hedgerows, orchards and parklands) and wetland by 2050 and establish a connection between the new woodlands of the National Forest in the south and the soon to be established woodlands of Northern Forest in the north. North-south connectivity, which this project will provide, is critically important to allow movement of species in response to climate change.

Working with local landowners and community groups, the programme will make more space for nature, through improving woodland ecosystem connectivity; and make more space for water by implementing natural flood management measures and slowing the flow across surfaces and down slopes. The impacts of drought can also be reduced through natural flood management. Ponds and wetlands store water and provide a buffer against drought conditions by gradually releasing water during dry periods. The project will also work to make more space and opportunities for the public to access, enjoy and engage with these spaces!