WildDerby 'do one thing' for wildlife activity day 

On Sunday 10 June, we launched Springwatch in Derby with the WildDerby 'do one thing' for wildlife activity day. During the day, there was bird watching, a Peregrine Falcon Watch and Pondamania. Up to 300 people attended these activities during the day. For those who could not attend these activities, there was a WildDerby Garden Watch which they could do in their own garden.

Derby's Springwatch Festival - Go Wild in Osmaston Park

On Sunday 24 June, over 2500 people joined us at Derby's Springwatch Festival - Go Wild in Osmaston Park. Our free, family environmental fun day, allowed people to meet many groups and organisations, enabling them to take their interest in wildlife further. From close up encounters with wildlife, to trying a range of activities, joining a 'Springwatch Garden Party', or learning how to become a Springwatch Tracker, there was something for everyone. Visit the BBC Springwatch 2007 Gallery  to see more photographs.

WildDerby Summer Scheme

During August, free wildlife fun days for children were held at:

• Allestree Park Local Nature Reserve
• the former Sturgess School site off Kedleston Road
• West Park Meadow Local Nature Reserve, Spondon.

On each site, children and their parents discovered the wildlife on their doorstep through activities such as waterlife, wild bookmarks, tree spotting and bug hunting.

For details of our future wildlife fun days, email your name and address to us at wildderby@derby.gov.uk asking to be put on our Let’s go Wild programme mailing list, and we’ll post you a copy when available.

Eco-Fest

On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September, 9,000 people attended Eco-Fest at Markeaton Park. This free biennial festival is designed to provide an entertaining and enjoyable two days for the whole family while, at the same time, raising awareness of environmental issues. This year’s main theme was climate change and every organisation participating was asked to reflect this in what they brought to the event. As part of the festival, WildDerby organised a 'do one thing' for wildlife marquee.

BBC Nature of Britain series

Derby’s wild side was revealed to television viewers across the region on Wednesday 24 October. The BBC‘s Nature of Britain  series, fronted by Alan Titchmarsh, looked at urban wildlife, including some of Derby’s wildlife treasures such as Markeaton Brook  and its crayfish, the Peregrine Falcons at the Cathedral, and The Sanctuary Bird and Wildlife Reserve at Pride Park.

Great Tree Giveaway - Derby's Tree Party

On Saturday 10 November, nearly 800 people came along to our Great Tree Giveaway in Derby's Market Place, part of the BBC Breathing Places Tree Party. At our fun-filled autumn event, free trees were given away (one per family) along with some top tree tips. To view where most trees have been planted, you can download 'The forest we planted in 2007'  561kb plan. As part of the event, video clips of schools and community groups planting trees and shrubs in October  was shown on the Big Screen in the Market Place, along with clips from the Nature of Britain programme. On the same day, Derby's Museum and Art Gallery, The Strand, hosted a 'Tree-mendous Fun' workshop packed full of activities for all the family, such as seed planting, tree bling and tree collage. Natural England  ran a butterfly bling craft activity workshop. Visit BBC Derby's Big Tree Give Away gallery  to see more photographs.

Elvaston Lane Pond Restoration

On Sunday 13 January 2008, Derby City Pond Warden Association removed invasive plants and rubbish from Elvaston Lane Pond, to encourage the return of Great Crested Newts.

Garden Bird Bonanza

On Saturday 26 January, over 1000 people joined WildDerby and partners (RSPB, Derby Museums, BBC Radio Derby, BBC Breathing Places, Natural England ) in Derby's Market Place for family fun bird activities and helped us do one thing for garden birds. People came along and made free bird feeders, took part in bird mask making, visited the BBC Bus, made themselves a free bird box, went on a bird walk and found out about the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. Visit the BBC Bird Bonanza 2008 Gallery  to see more photographs.

Action Day for Wildlife on Markeaton Street Pond

On Saturday 23 February, Friends of Markeaton Brook  carried out tree planting and litter picking along Markeaton Brook. The Derbyshire Bat Conservation Group put up bat boxes at the end of Markeaton Street.

Tree and shrub planting at Chaddesden Park Nature Reserve

On Friday 29 February, the Friends of Chaddesden Park planted hazel, holly, blackthorn, maple and hawthorn in the nature reserve, with the help of over 50 pupils from Chaddesden Park Junior School. 100 native trees and shrubs were planted, which will encourage a greater diversity of habitat and create an additional food source for birds.

Scrub clearance at the Darley and Nutwood Nature Reserve

On Tuesday 4 March, the Darley and Nutwood Nature Reserve Management Group carried out a half day of scrub clearance along the main track through the reserve. This scrub clearance will encourage nesting birds and allow a more diverse ground cover to develop. For further information, contact the Darley and Nutwood Nature Reserve Management Group on 01332 557249, or email keith@dodd394.fsnet.co.uk

Hedge planting at the Darley and Nutwood Nature Reserve

On Tuesday 18 March, the Darley and Nutwood Nature Reserve Management Group, and children from Becket Primary School, carried out a half day of hedge planting along the northern boundary of the reserve. This hedge planting will help secure the boundary and encourage nesting birds.

Bird box making and installing at Chaddesden Park Nature Reserve

On Tuesday 1 April, the Friends of Chaddesden Park made and installed bird boxes in the nature reserve. These boxes will help to encourage more bird species into the park, and provide additional habitats for existing birds.

Sinfin Wild Week

From Monday 28 April to Sunday 4 May, the Friends of Sinfin Moor Park and Nature Reserve, and other WildDerby partners, carried out a week of activities to clean up the nature reserve and transform it into a haven for wildlife. BBC Radio Derby covered the week of activities, which helped celebrate Derby's status as a BBC Breathing Places City.

Thank you to everyone who took part. Without your continuous effort, it would not have been possible.

What did we achieve?

• a pump-house painted green
• nature watch with 295 children
• put up 120 bird boxes
• 2 health walks 
• 4 benches concreted-in
• 2 notice boards to tell people about the nature reserve
• included 150 volunteers
• 150 bags of litter picked up and well over 2 tons carried away
• 20 frog lodges and 10 habitat piles created
• over 24 different groups involved
• 200m path dug out and laid
• 1000 wildflowers planted
• and plenty of happy photos.

Who do we thank?

Friends of Sinfin Moor Park and Nature Reserve, Environment Agency, Severn Trent Water, BTCV, Groundwork Derby & Derbyshire, Derby College - Broomfield Hall Campus, Derby City Pond Warden Association, Redwood Junior School, Grampian Primary School, Sinfin Primary School, Merrill College, West Park School, Ashcroft Primary School, Moorfield Childrens Centre, ASDA, Woodbine Garage, Rolls Royce, Derbyshire Probation Service, RSPB Derby Local Group, Derby City Primary Care Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Sinfin Churches, Derby City Council's Parks, Estate Management and Waste Management teams, BBC Breathing Places and BBC Radio Derby.

Donations were received from the Environment Agency, Derby City Council, Rolls Royce, ASDA, Area Panel and BBC Breathing Places, as part of Derby's Year of Action for wildlife.

Derby's Springwatch Festival - Go Wild in Derby's Market Place

On Sunday 8 June, over 2500 people came along to our free Springwatch Festival in the Market Place to find out how to do one thing for wildlife, and to help WildDerby continue celebrating Derby's status as a BBC Breathing Places City.

During the day, people had the opportunity to meet and find out about BBC Breathing Places, plus various local groups, such as the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB Derby Local Group, Derby City Pond Warden Association, Groundwork Derby & Derbyshire, Friends of Markeaton Brook  and the Trent Rivers Trust.

There were various activities on offer, such as pebble painting, willow weaving, face painting, circus skills, making nature notebooks, henna painting and bird and bat box making. Plus, there was the opportunity to view the Peregrine Falcons on Derby Cathedral.

BBC Radio Derby broadcast live from the Springwatch Festival, and more photographs can be seen on their BBC Springwatch 2008 Gallery.

Action Day for Wildlife - Balsam Pull in Markeaton Park

On Saturday 28 June, the Friends of Markeaton Brook spent six hours removing Himalayan Balsam from the banks of Markeaton Brook, so our native plants can grow. Himalayan Balsam is an invasive plant, which crowds out native vegetation along the banks of watercourses.

Day of Pondamania

On Saturday 26 July, Derby City Pond Warden Association helped 65 people to discover the creatures which lurk in Allestree Park Lake. During the six hour event, people were able to take part in pond dipping and mini-beast hunting, receive advice about ponds, meet their local pond wardens and learn about the pond warden scheme and adopting a local pond. For further information about the Derby City Pond Warden Association, telephone 01332 830657, or email dgolson@aol.com