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Welcome! This month you can read about the HEY Nature Recovery conference which took place on Friday 6th March, as well as the usual news, calls to action, dates for your diary and funding opportunities. Happy reading!
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 HEY Nature Recovery Conference brings local people together for nature
Last Friday was our launch conference for the Hull and East Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (HEY LNRS), and it was fantastic to see so many of you there!
We were inspired by some great talks from our partner organisations on how they will use the HEY LNRS, from working with water to tree planting to community engagement. The keynote address from Natural England's David Renwick did not shy away from the challenges faced by nature and people in this region and nationally, but finished on an ultimately hopeful note, emphasising the need for ambition and broad collaboration across sectors. We entirely agree!
Thank you to our speakers, and to everyone who attended for helping to make it an engaging and hopeful event. The shared desire in the room to restore functioning natural systems in the HEY region was clear and energising.
It's an exciting time as the HEY LNRS gathers momentum for delivery. We are currently organising our steering groups and next round of workshops to put plans into collective action for nature recovery in Hull and East Yorkshire.
Drop us a line if you'd like to be involved in LNRS delivery work at any level: heylnp@eastriding.gov.uk
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 Photo credit: Sam Oakes
Yorkshire beavers going from strength to strength
Over in North Yorkshire the beavers at the Cropton Forest Beaver Trial are thriving, and several animals have been relocated to other projects in England. Flamingo Land Resort near Malton has a beaver enclosure and specialist team, which forms a vital part of the reintroduction process as it provides a place to house and health check beavers as they are moved between different locations. Meanwhile, Castle Howard expect to receive the first beavers for their large enclosure this spring – we look forward to seeing some photos!
We really hope to see some wild releases in Yorkshire soon; in the meantime, please educate your family, friends and neighbours about how beneficial beavers can be, as this will help to counter any myths and build public support for reintroductions.
 Beneficial beavers bringing back balance
Beavers are herbivores, yet some in the angling community are unsure about their potential impacts on fish populations. The UK’s salmon population has declined by 70% in the last 20 years and, if the current rate of decline continues, could be lost by 2050. Clearly, our migratory fish need all the help they can get. Can beaver-engineered ecosystems and migratory fish thrive together?
This documentary from the Beaver Trust explores whether the return of co-evolved beavers to our rivers will help or hinder the recovery of migratory fish populations.
Beautifully filmed, narrated by Dame Joanna Lumley, it looks well worth a watch!
Pocklington Biodiversity Action Plan Published
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Congratulations to Pocklington Town Council on publishing their Biodiversity Action Plan. This is an important piece of work and we hope it will encourage any other town and parish councils who are considering doing the same... it's one of the best ways local areas can grow the HEY Nature Recovery Network. |
Hull Growers Handbook 2026
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The Hull Growers Handbook, developed by the Hull Food Partnership, has been launched.
Within its pages you can find sections on encouraging the natural predators that can help protect your crops, tips on promoting healthy soil, buying organic and more ... all great ways of helping promote nature's recovery while growing healthy food.
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 Calling young queer people living in and around Hull!
The Queer Mycology Lab is a new, hands-on creative ecology project exploring fungi as powerful guides for connection, transformation, and queer ways of being through curiosity, respect, and shared discovery.
Seven half-day sessions in April and May (consisting of an introduction session and six practical workshops). Up to 8 participants, aged 18-25. Taking place at Thwaite Botanical Gardens (Cottingham). Sign ups open now.
Hull Community event for nature
The Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park are holding a Community Event on Saturday 25th April 2026, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
It’s shaping up to be a great day filled with nature-based activities, including a bug hunt using the iNaturalist app as part of the International City Nature Challenge. They will be observing and documenting local wildlife to help inform future planting efforts in the park.
They are also excited to invite and welcome local organisations, projects, and craftspeople to share their work and lead fun, simple activities for families.
If you are interesting in attending, please email Debbie Morrell to register, at debbiemorrell1@hotmail.com. Please also don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have. Booking forms and further information will be sent out nearer the time.
Conservation Garden Volunteers wanted (Pearson Park, Hull)
Do you love gardening and want to do something outdoors in your spare time? Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are looking for two volunteers to help maintain the office grounds at their Hull Office.
Pearson Park is situated in the heart of Hull city. It's an urban oasis; with a wildflower meadow, wildlife pond, vegetable plots, fruit trees and mature trees.
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 Birds in Green Spaces - new BTO citizen science needs you
Birds in Greenspaces is a new, UK-wide citizen science survey of birds that use our public-access greenspaces, running from April to June 2026, and open to all.
Badger and wildlife crime awareness training
Paul Bateman, Wildlife Crime Trainer and Consultant, is running a number of training sessions in March and April on this saddening but important topic, in the East Yorkshire village of Rawcliffe (near Goole). Ranging from a morning's theory to a full day including practical with a mocked up badger sett. Note that clicking this link and attending this training will include potentially upsetting images and content of harm done to badgers and wildlife.
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Yorkshire Water INNS Fund
Yorkshire Water (YW) has launched a new fund for Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) Control and Rapid Response Projects.
The YW INNS Control & RR Fund is a programme of funding available to enable INNS control/management, rapid response and improvements in biosecurity, across the catchments in which we operate.
YW are anticipating funding several projects up to a maximum value of £50,000, though they encourage applications for any value below this and there is no minimum value. Individual projects are only eligible for a single funding allocation. Projects can extend across financial years, but we must be able to evidence beneficial completion by November 2029. Funding can be spent on operational or capital costs.
The application deadline is 1700 on Wednesday 6th May 2026.
Any questions can be sent to biodiversity@yorkshirewater.co.uk
Water Innovation Implementation Programme
This water sector funding programme supports large scale innovation across England and Wales. There are two funding streams, one solely open to water companies, the other also open to suppliers, academics, NGOs and more.
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"Birds of the Lower Derwent Valley" - get your copy!
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This new book from the Friends of the Lower Derwent Valley contains everything we know about the 294 bird species that have occurred on the reserve and surrounding area – historically, along with more detailed trends from the 1960s up to the end of 2024. It’s a must-have book for conservationists, serious local birders, land managers.
To secure yourself a copy, (£25, hardback), please email Lucy.Murgatroyd@naturalengland.org.uk
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Do you have any projects you wish to share with us? Want to hear more about our work? email us at heylnp@eastriding.gov.uk
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