Why are Nature Networks important?

Nature Networks help to connect sites that are rich in wildlife, allowing species to move about more easily.

This may be through ‘corridors’ – green areas that connect other sites (for example along road verges or riverbanks) or through ‘stepping stones’ – separate areas of nature that are close enough together that wildlife can move between them easily.

By bringing together multiple organisations managing green space across our city, we can better coordinate efforts to provide these connected habitats for pollinators and other wildlife. 

More, Bigger, Better, Connected…

Despite being densely populated, cities like Newcastle can provide important homes or ‘habitats’ for wildlife.

However, parks and nature reserves in cities are often small areas which can make it difficult for wildlife to survive in the long term – small, isolated populations are more vulnerable to things like disease or extreme weather, which will become more common under future climate change. This explains why more than half of the world’s extinctions have been on islands!

This is also why it is so important to create More, Bigger, Better and more Connected habitats across the UK and in our city. By developing and enhancing Newcastle’s Nature Networks, Newcastle will play its part in halting a nationwide decline in species abundance, including of important pollinators.  

What will the project involve?

Work across Urban Green Newcastle’s parks and partner sites will include: 

• Removing invasive species like Himalayan Balsam 
• Installing a floating biomatrix to make a wetland habitat in Exhibition Park 
• Transforming 1,800 m² of borders with nectar-rich and native plants 
• Planting 50,000 native bulbs and 17,000 plants 
• Restoring and managing woodland to increase biodiversity 

• Community events to engage people with wildlife and nature
• Managing grasslands to support endangered butterflies 

What impact will this work have on wildlife?

Planting species rich wildflowers will provide nectar for pollinating insects like bees and butterflies, with a wide variety of plants providing nectar at different times of year.  This will support at least 10 different species of urban bee and over 15 different species of butterfly living across Newcastle’s green spaces. 

Invasive plant species like Himalayan Balsam can outcompete other species. Removing these invasive species gives other plants a chance to thrive, increasing plant diversity which will then support a wider range of insects and other animals. The project enables us to trial new techniques to control invasive species, helping to develop sustainable and cost-effective measures for the future. 

Opening up woodland can allow light in, increasing the biodiversity of plants on the ground. Clearing overgrown nature reserves will also help support the recovery of species identified as national priorities for conservation, including three threatened species of butterfly:  

Monitoring work will give us a better understanding of what plant and animal species are in the parks, as well as providing us with a baseline for biodiversity, helping us to quantify the positive impacts of habitat creation and restoration for wildlife across Newcastle’s parks and green spaces. 

What benefits will this work have for people?

The project will also engage people across the city, supporting volunteers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to develop skills and undertake training in wildlife survey and monitoring, and practical conservation and horticulture.