Butterflies and birds across Sheffield and Rotherham will receive community care from environmental groups after the launch of a new project.
The More Data for Nature project by the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust will use data collected by monitoring biodiversity to support the conservation of pollinators and wildlife.
The group will be sending out surveys to collect data and will also be working closely with other environmental groups as part of the project.
Polly Blacker, volunteer coordinator at Helping Environmental Regeneration in Broomhall, HERB, which is linked with the scheme, said: “It’s just really nice for local people to have bits of green space where they can breathe fresh air.
“Every week we have people stopping and saying thank you so much for what you do.
“It brings the community together and it’s good for the wildlife. It’s just good to make the area feel cared for.”
The HERB project has seen a biodiversity plot created on the corner of Broomspring Lane and Havelock Street in Broomhall. It was made by a student from the University of Sheffield.
Volunteers have held session in which they created something of interest to people and to wildlife throughout the year, Polly said.
Previously, they cleared an area of Laurel which are poisonous to wildlife and planted some Alder Buckthorn which are food plants for the Yellow Brimstone Butterfly.
HERB will plot a line from Sunny Bank Nature reserve to join the botanical gardens in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust.
They will monitor butterflies and birds and see how the project is influencing wildlife and larval plants will be added for different butterfly species.
Photo Credits: Paul Richards
Simon Rolph, manager of the data project said: “We’re very lucky these local groups have a lot of keen volunteers who are willing to get involved.
“It’s very much working with the community to think about what’s important for them and what can we help them do.
“Platforms like HERB are providing ways that people can improve where they live and in the age of the ecological crisis, the climate crisis, doing what you can is really important.
“Getting involved has such a positive benefit to the environment.”
Simon added that it is important for wildlife trusts to work with local groups because they know their local area and they are invested in it which helps them understand a broader ecology.
Additionally, the Wildlife Trust requests that the public submit wildlife sightings on their website: Nature Counts to improve their database and conservation choices.
