Project to improve nature reserve access gets go-ahead

A project involving Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the Devonshire Group to make a nature reserve in the Peak District more accessible has been given the green light.

Work to make Peak Village Nature Reserve accessible for all – and even better for nature – is due to start this autumn.

For the past five years the trust has been working with the Devonshire Group to transform land adjacent to Peak Village for the benefit of both visitors and nature.

Baseline surveys at the time revealed that biodiversity at the site was minimal with very little insect and bird life.

Five years on, the site is now a thriving nature reserve for people and wildlife thanks to funding from Peak Village.

Now home to a mosaic of over 20 different habitats including woodland, wildflower meadow, transient wetlands, ponds and hedgerow, the reserve is also the backdrop for a packed programme of free engagement activities and events delivered throughout the year for people to connect with nature.

With help from trust staff and volunteers, more than 1,000 trees, hedgerow and scrub have been planted, ponds have emerged, a wildflower meadow has been seeded, and a heritage orchard stands proud.

Now, a project to make the site more accessible for people and even better for nature has been approved by Derbyshire Dales District Council.

Phase one will see the installation of a pushchair and wheelchair friendly path, which will take visitors on a level path from the carpark, through the wildflower meadow to a wheelchair friendly picnic table by the banks of the River Derwent.

To welcome visitors to the reserve, a new archway and signage will be installed at a new level entrance way.

Made by volunteers from larch sourced locally, the archway will be adorned with an owl, woodpecker and bees, carved by local artist Alistair Farson.

More carved bees will feature on a semi-sculptural wild bee habitat, which will be created in a freshly seeded area of native wildflower meadow, to demonstrate the importance of bees and how humans can help them thrive.

The installation consists of 12 larch posts, arranged in a 20-metre circle with climbing plants to act as a nectar source. In the centre, a log hive will be placed to represent hollow tree trunk habitats for wild bees.

A second phase is planned for the spring, which will see the new path extend through the orchard and meadow to connect a full circular route back to the entrance.

Matt Robinson, the trust’s people engagement officer at Peak Village Nature Reserve, said: “As well as creating more space for nature and more diverse habitats for wildlife, Peak Village Nature Reserve has become a haven for people to enjoy the wellbeing benefits of nature and being outdoors.

“We are absolutely thrilled that our new project to make it easier for even more people to visit by improving accessibility is going ahead.

“Over the last couple of years, we have been in discussion and training with Accessible Derbyshire, talking with site visitors and consulting with wheelchair users to research the best ways to improve the site for better access for all.

“We are so excited to execute the first elements of these plans now, and to continue to look at more ways we can improve the site in the years to come.”