NHSN’s New Urban Naturalist Hits the Ground Running

Ellie Davison, Urban Naturalist, in her new role supported by the Reece Foundation expresses her excitement at the nature and people she has seen so far.

Hey there, fellow nature enthusiasts!

I’m super excited to share that I’ve just started my new role as an Urban Naturalist with the Natural History Society of Northumbria, and let me tell you, I’ve hit the ground running! The first ten days has been a whirlwind of learning, meeting volunteers and partners, and, of course, a whole lot of nature.

One of the highlights of the week so far was meeting Anne Reece, the chair of the Reece Foundation, which has kindly provided funding for the Urban Naturalist role, to support their Ouse Burn Way vision.aimed at revitalising the urban environment in Newcastle and North Tyneside. As part of their vision The Reece Foundation announce a £1m fund to kickstart the project to enable partner organisations to leverage the additional funds required to bring this vision to fruition. My role ties into this ambitious vision to create a wildlife rich urban corridor stretching from the River Tyne at Ouseburn to Weetslade Country Park. You can find out more about the vision at https://www.theouseburnway.co.uk/

This seven-mile stretch will establish a vital connection between communities and nature, offering long-term benefits to residents, improving water quality, enhancing well-being, and supporting local wildlife. I am excited that the Reece Foundation has enabled this Urban Naturalist role to engage with local people to find out more about the wildlife in the corridor and what we can all do to help nature recover. The Ouse Burn Way will improve the lives of so many residents, enhance nature and enable us to make the most of this unique and wonderful part of the region. And we are very proud that the Foundation is backing up our vision with significant funding to support key projects and leverage the additional funds required to advance the Ouse Burn Way project.”.

Anne Reece, Chair of the Reece Foundation

Chatting with Anne about the exciting plans in store for our urban green spaces was truly inspiring! Her passion for the project is infectious, and I can already tell this is going to be an incredible journey.

This past Saturday, I participated in the Field Skills programme celebration, which was another highlight! We kicked things off with a mini BioBlitz at Leazes Park in Newcastle, and what a blast it was! Spotting some truly amazing fungi, including one of the biggest ceps I’ve ever laid eyes on, was a definite standout. It felt great to immerse ourselves in nature and learn from each other. After our BioBlitz, we had a lovely celebration to reflect on our experiences. Hearing everyone share their thoughts and discoveries was heartwarming. It’s moments like these that remind me of the power of community and collaboration in caring for our natural world.

I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting a fantastic bunch of long-running volunteers NHSN who are bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. I’ll be working closely with them, and I’m looking forward to learning from their wealth of experience. They’ve been champions of nature in our community for years, and I can’t wait to dive into projects with them, enthusing even more local people to enjoy, notice and help protect nature I’ve also been getting to know Gosforth Nature Reserve, which will be my day-to-day base. The wildlife has been phenomenal! Just this week, I’ve spotted a green woodpecker, a couple of tawny owls, jackdaws and rooks swarming in huge numbers, otter tracks, and even four gorgeous badgers! Plus, the variety of fungi is simply stunning – an impressive crop of honey fungus and oyster mushrooms caught my eye. Nature truly knows how to put on a show! I can’t wait to meet local people to hear about what nature they see in their local patch in and around the Ouse Burn.

I’m excited to invite you to join me for a walk around Gosforth Nature Reserve next Friday, 11October! This walk is open to all but particularly aimed at beginners and nature enthusiasts. We’ll be looking for vibrant autumn colours, fungi, ripe fruits, and even some migrant birds. Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy the sights and sounds of North East nature, and I can’t wait to explore it with you! The walk will start and end at the reserve entrance, which has toilet facilities and a nature library at our Field Studies Room at 10am. No need to book, just turn up!

As I settle into this new role, I’m filled with excitement and gratitude. There’s so much to learn, so many people to meet, and countless adventures waiting just around the corner. I can’t wait to share more of my experiences with you as I explore the wildlife corridor of the Ouse Burn. 

Here’s to new beginnings and the wild wonders ahead! 🌿✨

See you all soon at Gosforth Nature Reserve or in the wildlife corridor!

There’s a great momentum building with the Ouse Burn Way vision launched last year, collaborations with organisations such as Tyne Rivers Trust and Environment Agency and many others in the Ouse Burn Group.  Plus, we are part of the Newcastle’s Nature Networks led by Urban Green Newcastle, carrying out nature recovery work for species and habitats across the city.  Nature needs a lot of help from local people, and with this investment from funders and collaborations we can achieve more by working together than individually

Clare Freeman, NHSN Director
Ellie Davison
NHSN Urban Naturalist

Ellie works as Urban Naturalist with the NHSN with funding from the Reece Foundation. She has interest in most areas of natural history, especially fungi and botany.