March 2026
Green Spaces Forum feedback
The Green Spaces forum is a regular event where volunteers and Derby’s parks friends groups meet with Derby Parks staff to discuss and share ideas, best practice and news of activities. The recent meeting focussed on volunteering. Derby Parks will compile a centralised list of volunteering opportunities which will be made widely available.
Derby Parks update
'Be-a-Beaver’ in partnership with DWT at the end of February went well. Lots of sessions held for schools, community groups, the public and registered volunteers.
Derby Parks team have filled various holes, removed many fallen trees from paths, repaired fences this month.
Allestree Volunteers have completed sessions on site including ‘Be an Auroch’ with Emily Hughes and last week cleared silt from the balancing pond (near the approach road from A6) plus various small trees works along Burley Brook completed with me.
We will be working on the new dipping pond, and educational area works from 17 March. Join Derby Parks Volunteers on any of the following days from 9.45am – 2.30pm approx. on 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th, 31st March and 1st April.
Sandra Horner
Lake
Chalk will be going into the lake in the next two weeks. Brambles need clearing from the island, if possible before nesting begins.
There are now only the adult pair of swans on the lake. The cygnet has been taken to a safe home and has poor eyesight which made it particularly vulnerable.
Events
Pond dipping May 16 1.30pm - 4.00pm
Painting in the park Jun 13 In Big Wood
Summer event TBD
Mini-beast hunt Aug 1
Bat walk TBD in September
Friends of Allestree Park
February 2026
A scooter was set on fire on the park near the Evans Avenue entrance on 16th February and there were two incidents, unrelated, of a person entering the lake. Police attended and regular patrols will take place.
A large beech in a private garden on West Bank Road has been felled and Sandra gave permission for the cut wood to remain on the park to provide invertebrate habitat.
There will be more chalk added to the lake towards the end of March.
Questionnaire
Many thanks to those who responded to our survey on how to protect bird life from dogs.
The questions asked were:
On average, how often do you visit the park?
Why do you visit the park?
How important are the birds and wildlife around the lake?
What could be done to protect wildlife from dogs?
- colour-coded areas/paths (eg. Red - no dogs, Amber - dogs on leads, Green - dogs off leads permitted
- additional wheelchair-compatible gates with signs saying “Dogs on lead” and soft fences/hedges
- other ideas?
Total responses 121
Responses selecting an option for the last question 111
The additional gates option was clearly the preferred one of the two offered.
There were many comments and suggestions in response to the ‘other ideas’ invitation. They have been condensed and summarised below:
Better enforcement - fine people
Social media campaign
Display information about nesting birds and their vulnerability
Deploy battery-powered cameras around the lake
Ban dogs from 90% of the park
More signage
Volunteers in high-vis vests
Leave it as it is
What happens next?
We shall share these results with Derby Parks, partners of the Community Rewilding Project and other relevant teams (such as the Public Protection Officers) and work with them to come up with a plan of action that can be implemented over the next 12 months.
Derby Parks
Keeping it Wild, a conservation-based youth group from Nottingham came to Allestree to 'be beavers' at the end of January and helped to 'slow the flow' at Burley Brook (bottom of Woodlands Field).
Over winter a full boundary inspection was undertaken and some residents who live around the boundary of the park were written to regarding waste or personal items being stored behind their properties on the park. No investigation was undertaken but a follow up check in late January showed most had complied with removing items and no additional items or garden waste have yet been deposited. Ongoing regular checks will be undertaken.
First official joint DWT/DCC volunteering session was held on 12th February to finish clearing the A6 fields of scrub to hopefully have the flora improve this spring/summer.
Various paths have been cleared of fallen trees; if you spot any trees that have fallen across a path, or you are worried about then a photo and location (such as What 3 Words or grid reference, especially in woodland areas, would be appreciated).
Cattle have moved up to the Burley Top field and will move over to Woodlands field in a few weeks before heading back to Woodside for the summer.
Expression of interest for catering options at Allestree is now live - initial one year license to test the market and options include ice cream or food and beverage license.
Upcoming volunteering sessions:
Thursday 12th March from 10am – 2pm, volunteer to help clear the balancing pond on the drive to the main car park.
Join Derby Parks Volunteers on any of the following days from 9.45am – 2.30pm approx. on 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th 31st March and 1st April.
Sandra Horner
Community Parks Officer
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
A timeline of events for 2026 is now on the DWT website and was circulated in the most recent newsletter. The link to the timeline can be found here –
https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/rewilding-allestree-park-timeline-and-next-steps
Upcoming Events:
Be a Beaver
Groups attending this year include Bemrose Primary, Markeaton Primary, Dale Primary, Portway Infants & Juniors, Curzons Primary, the Junior Rangers, 151st Beaver group, Derby Home Ed group.
Be a Boar Day – 18th April
Why do we need healthy soil training – 23rd April
Be a Wolf Day – 2nd May
Wilder Work Experience
A work experience week is being held at Allestree Park for students in Yr 10-13. Members of DWT, DCC and FOAP will be delivering sessions across the week, hoping to inspire our future conservationists. There are a few places left but the opportunity closes on March 20th. More details can be found here:
https://jobs.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/job/804250
Sustainable Groups
More and more groups are starting to use the park on a regular basis for their nature-based activities. These groups have/are receiving training and support so that they will continue to run on Allestree after the project ends. Nature Tots and Junior Rangers are very popular and there are up and coming groups from local schools, Derby Home educators and the YMCA.
Lead by Example
Posters will soon be going up around the park, looking for a team of volunteers to model responsible dog walking (with their ambassadog!) whilst out on the park and simply reward other dog walkers who are doing the same. This positive behaviour change approach, already being used and making a difference at sites across Nottingham, is aimed at building a culture of responsible dog walking and an appreciation of what it means to visit a site shared by wildlife and other park users.
Andy Honman he/him
Wilder Connections Officer
Friends of Allestree Park