Gosforth’s Wild Web inspired local people across the North East to notice nature near them. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project ran from August 2023 to August 2025, with many aspects of the project being woven into the future work of NHSN.
Since August 2023, thousands of people across Newcastle and North Tyneside have come together through Gosforth’s Wild Web to notice and protect the nature on their doorstep. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project grew through the enthusiasm of local schools, community groups and residents who embraced the chance to learn about wildlife in their local greenspaces.
2024 marked the 100th birthday of Gosforth Nature Reserve. To celebrate, people from across 100 one-kilometre squares surrounding Gosforth Nature Reserve got involved in nature-based activities, wildlife recording and events. From classrooms to community centres, participants explored their local nature and shared what they discovered. You can explore the full picture of the project in the Gosforth’s Wild Web Evaluation Report here.
Local communities leading the way
Across two years, thousands of people took part in nature-based activities and events designed to help more people notice and enjoy local wildlife.
- 39 Community Groups
- 5071 People
- 15 Schools
Children took part in nature art, pond dipping, minibeast exploration and bird spotting. Families walked through their local parks to discover birds, plants, fungi and insects. Group leaders and teachers spoke about how these sessions grew confidence, encouraged outdoor learning and helped their communities notice the wildlife often overlooked in familiar places.
“We were absolutely delighted to welcome Gosforth Wild Web into our school to work with Year 4 around local nature and wildlife. The sessions were a real highlight, making pupils aware of the wildlife on their doorstep and, importantly, helping them understand the need to care for it and showing them practical ways to do so.” Anthony Macleod, Pastoral Lead, Wingrove Primary School
“We have learnt so much from our walks and talks this year. No matter what season, there is always something to discover. We have really appreciated the generosity and expertise of the NHSN team. They have opened our eyes to the treasures in our local area that we wouldn’t have noticed without their guidance.” Diane Thurston, Friends of Hebburn Park
A huge year for local citizen science
Citizen scientists also played a major role in Gosforth’s Wild Web. More than 230 local people recorded wildlife on iRecord and iNaturalist, helping build a clearer picture of the species living in and around Gosforth Nature Reserve.
- Over 60,000 wildlife records submitted
- More than 2,000 species recorded
All records were shared with the Environmental Records Information Centre North East to help inform future conservation and planning decisions. Local groups have continued this momentum by starting their own recording projects, community nature trails and regular wildlife surveys.
The lasting impact of Gosforth’s Wild Web
From the start, Gosforth’s Wild Web grew because local people, just like you, wanted to see and care for nature on their doorstep. Volunteers and participants gained new skills and confidence by joining BioBlitz’s, school events and guided walks. Schools and community groups have shaped their future plans, taking to more learning outdoors and creating their own nature-based projects.
As Gosforth’s Wild Web comes to an end, NHSN is already weaving what has been learned into future work to ensure even more people have the opportunity to explore and protect North East nature. The citizen science projects from Gosforth’s Wild Web remain active, and if you’d like to upload your wildlife sightings to contribute to the ever-growing nature database, be sure to join the project on iNaturalist or iRecord!
Thank you to everyone who took part over the past 2 years. Your involvement has shown the strength of community support for the wildlife and places that make our region special.
