UK’s largest urban rewilding project starts to bloom

The UK’s largest urban rewilding project is starting to establish itself at a Derby park and attract more wildlife.

Allestree Park is entering its second summer of rewilding – and according to the organisations behind the project – Derby City Council, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the University of Derby – the changes are starting to show, with an increase in wild flora and fauna.

Councillor Carmel Swan, the city council’s cabinet member for climate change, transport and sustainability, said: “This is a project of national significance which other local authorities, universities, and professional organisations are following with interest.

“This is a small but positive step towards tackling the effects of climate change, and if others follow our lead, it could make a real difference.”

Dr Jo Smith, chief executive of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said: “While the park has been changing, there has also been a spring and summer of ‘community conversations’, discussions with people who use the park, and residents right across the city.

“With these, we are starting to get a real sense of what community rewilding means to the people who love Allestree Park.”

Since plans for the project were first approved by the city council’s cabinet in November 2021, there has been minimum intervention with the natural landscape at Allestree Park.

With the exception of mowed grass footways and a traditional area for picnics and recreation near the lake, it’s now the third season where the grass has been allowed to grow naturally.

The results of a 12-week public consultation, announced in August 2022, showed overwhelming support with 89% of over 2,000 respondents supporting rewilding at Allestree Park.

Feedback from the consultation, and from ongoing community conversations over the summer, is for a ‘lighter touch’ approach going forward.

While there were plans to release a draft masterplan, instead the months ahead will be used to widen out the community conversations approach and keep collecting ideas and feedback.

Dr Smith said: “From the feedback we have received it is clear that community rewilding means different things to different people.

“The view we have heard most is that many people are really passionate about rewilding and nature, and that they want to see a gentle, natural approach with only light-touch interventions such as improving the diversity of wildflowers and letting swathes of long grasslands grow, much like what is happening right now.”

Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, the city council’s cabinet member for communities and Streetpride, said: “No project on this scale has been done in a public park before – and the key word here is public, as it’s a space where people in a city can benefit from being in nature.

“This is something we’ve all appreciated since the Covid pandemic. So, it’s important as the new administration that we take this time to reflect on what’s been done so far, and where we go from here.”