Nature and wildlife in South Yorkshire have been revitalised and transformed by the volunteer work of Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust. 

The charity say they want to make it easy for people in Sheffield and Rotherham to enjoy green spaces and wildlife in urban areas and dedicated 17,723 hours last year to various projects. 

They recently completed the Greno Woods Resilience Project in Northern Sheffield to protect woodlands and are working on habitat improvements in the Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve.

The Trust hosts, or partners with, frequent events including weekly adult wellbeing sessions, monthly volunteer workdays, guided walks, and school holiday “Wild Play” events 

A spokesperson from SRWT said: “We use Natural Based Solutions to solve societal problems, like flooding, air quality and mental health, by using natural processes.” 

According to NHS advice, spending time in nature improves mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, depression while boosting mood, self-esteem and relaxation which is another motivation to keep the region’s green spaces in check. 

Recent successes over the years include the recorded return of the otter into the River Don, marking a significant achievement for a river once considered the most polluted in Europe. 

Otters were forced out of the River Don due to severe pollution from the industrial revolution, which turned the river into a toxic, lifeless “sewer” by the 20th century. 

Other projects included implementing over 100 nature based solutions, such as leaky dams, to reduce the impact of flooding for thousands of people living locally. 

SRWT has also pushed for more attention to be given to nature by local councillors, which led to Sheffield City Council declaring a Nature Emergency in 2021, and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council soon followed in 2022. 

The Trust manages 15 nature reserves such as Wyming Brook and Cenetary Riverside and is supported by nearly 6,000 members. 

It also connected 3500 children and young people with nature through events, highlighting the importance of nature to the next generation. 

The charity has targets for 2030 which include 30% of land and water to be great for nature,1 in 4 people taking action for nature and everyone to be within five minutes of nature.