£5 million project to turn former coal mine into woodland
A site which was once characterised by the din of mining machinery is set to become full of the soothing sounds of nature.
The Woodland Trust is hoping to acquire a 162 hectare site in a post-industrial area of Derbyshire.
In an estimated £5 million project the charity is looking to turn the site, which was open cast mine, into an important natural habitat by planting 260,000 trees and creating one of the area’s largest new native woodlands.
Beccy Speight, Chief Executive at the Woodland Trust, said: “The land at Mead is an opportunity to connect people who live in the local and wider community, in which around 1.3 million people live within 20 minutes' drive, with a fantastic site for nature, right on their doorstep.
“Just ten per cent of England is wooded, which lags way behind the European average of 38 per cent. Trees can do so much for us so Mead is a perfect site on which to boost tree numbers and the wildlife that always comes along with them.
“It has the potential to be an attractive natural amenity; somewhere to get close to nature and enjoy peace and tranquility – a space to help boost both mental and physical health.
“If we’re able to secure the site we’ll restore and manage the land for the long term and ensure it is open to the public and freely accessible to explore as well as providing a haven for wildlife.
“We are particularly keen engage children and young people with the site, such as through volunteering and tree planting – and we want to retain the important historical context to the site. There will be lots of stories to tell, such as how mining shaped the community and the landscape.”
In 2016 coal production at Lodge House open cast mine ceased and the mine was closed. Since then, work on the site has included filling in the mining area and improving the path and bridleway network.
The land sits in a fantastic position; south of Heanor and adjacent to the very popular Shipley Country Park, which itself is near to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's Woodside Farm.
Together, these three areas would make more than 500 hectares (nearly 1,300 acres) of connected, wildlife friendly space for people to enjoy.
The site, currently owned by the Howarth Group, already boasts a wealth of paths and bridleways. The charity will look to retain these as well as planting trees to increase biodiversity and improve the experience visitors can have on site.
The Trust is initially buying a quarter of the land – thanks to a cash boost from The Veolia Environmental Trust, through the Landfill Communities Fund and Pears Foundation – but it will need to raise further funds to buy the remaining land. The charity will be launching a fundraising campaign in the New Year to help raise the cash.
As part of its plans it is particularly looking to reach out to young people in the area by providing a wealth of volunteering opportunities and tree planting. It already has close connections with some of the local schools but is keen to hear from other schools in the area and local community groups who are interested in being involved as the work moves forward.
Ecological surveys show that the site already harbours more than 40 bird species, including red listed linnets, lapwing and skylark. There is also evidence of the likes of badger and water voles nearby. Planting trees brings the potential to significantly increase the number and range of species.
As well as planting approximately 260,000 trees and creating hundreds of metres of hedgerows, there will be some areas left open for natural regeneration – something that local people will be able to watch over the years to see how nature recovers when it is simply given space to breathe.
The charity is hosting two open days – on November 16 and 17 November - at the Shipley County Country Park Visitor centre, where the public can find out about the Trust’s plans People can book on here: https://woodlandtrusttickets.cloudvenue.co.uk/SCP
If people have any ideas for raising funds to help the Trust buy the site or know of organisations in the area who can help, it would love to hear from you. Go to enquiries@woodlandtrust.org.uk.
For more details about the Woodland Trust go to: woodlandtrust.org.uk
