FROM 'nature watch' groups to those working with bees, Cumbria’s wildlife superstars are being celebrated alongside giants of the conservation world.
Every week, another nature hero is added to the growing list of volunteers who work hard at making sure the county stays a haven for wildlife and biodiversity.
There’s the volunteers from Carlisle Mencap who were nominated by staff at the Cumbria Wildlife Trust Gosling Sike site for their hard work and dedication, and the fun they bring to sessions in the wildlife garden.
Come rain or shine they’ve been helping every week since 2018, planting flowers and trees, maintaining the planting schemes, feeding the birds, making bird boxes, and helping design and make some of the visitor interpretation, among other things!
And others, like wildlife hero Martha Morgan-Travis, who the Trust became aware of in spring last year, when her father Toby contacted them to say she’d raised money for the Trust by running stalls outside her home.
The 11-year-old, who lives in Kendal, sold handmade gift tags online and raised £1,000.
Dedicated volunteer, Seb Sillito has run a Wildlife Watch group for kids, aged 6-12, keeping it going for over a decade ‘through thick and thin’.
“It’s brilliant to get children enthused about nature – because they’re the next generation who’ll care for it in the future,” says Seb.
The Bee Team, a volunteer, led group, use beekeeping in the grounds of a Cumbrian primary school as a catalyst for teaching young people about environmental issues and encouraging their personal growth.
Karen and Jacqui use beekeeping as a catalyst for teaching young people about environmental issues and encouraging their personal growth.
"We wanted to make sure all the children who come to our school and work in The Bee Team gain knowledge about nature so that it’s not lost. Because how sad would it be if the next generation couldn’t identify an oak tree or an acorn, for example?" they said.
Volunteers from Carlisle Mencap were the first group to return to volunteering after the Covid-19 lockdown and helped get the garden back in shape after months of neglect.
They’ve played an important role in the Gosling Sike Site Get Cumbria Buzzing project too, harvesting wildflower seeds from the garden and growing them on, ready to be planted out to help nature’s recovery across Cumbria.
Daniel Campbell, team leader for the Independence Studio at Carlisle Mencap, said: “We’ve been involved with Gosling Sike for over four years now, and in that time we’ve been able to watch the place grow from pretty much a building site to the established wildlife space it is today.
"Before starting to volunteer with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, many of our members didn’t have much experience with gardening or working in nature.
"Over the past few years, they’ve gained a greater understanding and appreciation of being able to work outside – and seeing the results of a little bit of hard work!"
Now the Nature Heroes path towards a ‘better future’ has been recognised by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, which turns 60 this year, and to celebrate, is recognising and thanking 60 nature champions who are doing great things to bring back wildlife to the county.
Stephen Trotter, chief executive of Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “As we enter our 60th year, We’d like to recognise and celebrate the current generation of people around the county who are taking action for wildlife and nature’s recovery.
“We’d like to hear about your local Nature Heroes so that we can celebrate and thank these unsung heroes who are helping to look after wildlife and bring it back to places where we’ve lost it.
"Together we can help our struggling wildlife become abundant once again and restore our beautiful wild places.
"Do you know someone who spends their free time volunteering, say for beach cleans or litter picks, or a young person who’s set up a fundraiser at their school? Maybe a local landowner who’s transforming their land to benefit nature, or a group that’s created a wildlife garden in their community?
"It could simply be someone who’s built a bee hotel in their back garden!”
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