Balancing Conservation and Responsible Recreation: A Community-Driven Approach to Engagement

As the Project Assistant for the site, I’ve had the privilege of exploring the floodplain meadows of the LDV and engaging with visitors to understand their recreational habits and connection to the landscape. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is fostering connections between people and nature, encouraging communities to appreciate the importance of conservation and biodiversity while enjoying natural spaces responsibly.

The reserve staff is supported by an incredible community of volunteers, each dedicating their time to help manage the reserve through practical conservation tasks. The Friends of LDV charity, formed by these volunteers, plays a vital role by fundraising, applying for grants to purchase land, and restoring arable land to rich wetland meadow habitats, expanding the reserve and its impact on local biodiversity.

Why are wetlands important?

Wetlands are often nicknamed nature’s kidneys, as they filter pollutants, sequester carbon, and act as a buffer against flooding. However, they are among the most threatened ecosystems globally declining at a rate three times faster than forests. The LDV is one of the best, most ecologically intact floodplain river valleys remaining in the UK. Engaging local communities in conservation efforts is critical to ensuring the habitat is protected for future generations.

“As well as providing services such as flood storage, locking away carbon, food production and livelihoods, floodplains and the wider natural environment also offer us great health and well-being benefits as places to visit and engage with nature. Balancing recreational access with protecting the conservation values that attract us to them in the first place can be challenging but it also presents some real opportunities as we work to deliver nature recovery. This project has been a great success in engaging local communities, raising awareness of the site and its unique wildlife, and promoting responsible visitation to the site while enjoying all it has to offer.” - Craig Ralston, Natural England, Senior Reserve Manager, LDV NNR

Connecting people with nature

On Saturday, 1^st February, I hosted my first community engagement event at LDV to celebrate World Wetlands Day – a day dedicated to raising awareness about wetland conservation and the role they play in sustaining biodiversity and mitigating climate change. The event brought together 150 visitors of all ages, eager to learn and take part in hands-on activities that highlighted the value of our local wetlands.

In the lead-up to the event, I visited Melbourne Primary School with my Natural England colleague, Phil Taylor, to deliver a series of Countryside Code workshops. Year 1 and 2 students created Shaun the Sheep posters promoting the Countryside Code, while Year 3 and 4 crafted stop-motion animations inspired by Ardman Studios. Both posters and animations were proudly displayed at the event, showcasing the learning and creativity of the students.

Visitors to the event got creative as they built and painted bird boxes and feeders, helping to provide nesting sites and food for local garden birds. Other crafts included handprint ducks and Countryside Code x Shaun the Sheep colouring sheets were also a hit. Owl pellet dissection stations allowed attendees to investigate the diets of local owls, while Ozzy the Barn Owl made a special guest appearance, giving people the chance to observe an owl up close. 

Guided wildlife walks along the Pocklington Canal led to a bird-ringing demonstration where experts explained how tagging birds contributes to vital conservation research.

Interactive activities also included a wetland scavenger quiz, encouraging visitors to search for hidden facts about wetlands and use their discoveries to answer questions. Winners received a certificate and a copy of Winston’s Journey, a book written by Jayne Murphy supported by Natural England and CCT and reprinted by the Friends of Lower Derwent Valley.

Educational videos and talks were played on a screen in the café alongside our free refreshment station creating a space for further insight into wetland ecology and discussion.

The Impact and Looking Ahead

By engaging people in meaningful, interactive experiences, we can foster a deeper appreciation for our natural spaces and thus an awareness of responsible recreation.

Feedback gathered from 31 participants via questionnaires revealed a highly positive response to the event. 100% of participants reported gaining a deeper understanding of local wildlife and habitats, learning how to actively contribute to nature recovery, and feeling inspired to take measures and support wildlife conservation at home. Additionally, 94% expressed a strong interest in attending similar events in the future.

Regarding future involvement, 52% of participants expressed a willingness to volunteer with LDV, while 26% cited time constraints as a barrier, 10% mentioned the distance from their homes, and 10% noted existing volunteer commitments elsewhere.

Looking ahead, these results demonstrate that fostering connections between people and nature can have a lasting impact, not only in terms of raising awareness but also in encouraging active participation in conservation efforts.

As part of the broader national study, LDV is one of six case study sites contributing to research on the Responsible Recreation on NNRs project. Our findings, alongside those from the other sites, will be reported to Natural England at the end of March, helping to shape future strategies.