Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust: Amazing places for people to connect with nature on their doorstep

A couple of weeks ago, my colleagues based at Attenborough Nature Reserve made a very unusual discovery when they arrived at the Nature Centre, writes Erin McDaid of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Rather than spotting a rare species, they stumbled upon a different type of rarity — possibly a first for the reserve — an anonymous donation of £100 cash in an envelope, weighted down with stones.

As a charity, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do to protect and restore nature without the support of our thousands of members and donors or the volunteers donating their time and talent.

While we are familiar with some folk wanting to keep their donations anonymous, we usually know who the donor is.

We’ll never know what motivated the mystery donor to simply leave the envelope for us to find rather than hand it in in person or stick it in the post.

The only detail given was that the donation was “for Attenborough Nature Reserve”, but they may well have taken inspiration from recent news reports of anonymous cash donations to a number of charities in the south-west.

In these cases, it seems that the envelopes contained old bank notes that couldn’t be spent directly — but which the charities were able to bank.

However, the notes in our envelope were current, making the donation all the more surprising.

Thankfully, the carefully arranged stones prevented the envelope from blowing away.

It is pleasing that our team found the envelope before anyone else did and we’ll now be able to make sure the money directly helps us look after Attenborough Nature Reserve — a site which connects people and wildlife like no other.

Raising funds to support our core work, such as the year-round challenge of caring for dozens of nature reserves, covering over 1,300 hectares across the county, and keeping our sites safe and welcoming for visitors.

This is one of the reasons we recently launched an appeal to support the protection and management of our wildflower meadows at reserves including Attenborough.

Just as we were delighted to find the mystery donation, we’ve been heartened by the hugely generous response to our appeal.

Both highlight just how much people care about nature and illustrate people’s willingness to put their hands in their pockets to support us during financially challenging times.

The response has been reassuring and uplifting and we’ve now increased our target for the Meadows Appeal in the hope that we can generate even more funds to help protect and sustain these wonderful but rare habitats.

Whilst I was being interviewed about the mystery donation recently the interviewer highlighted the wonderful opportunities our reserves provide for people to see and enjoy nature.

He also pointed out that during the school holidays it can be very expensive for families to visit various attractions — but our reserves are accessible free of charge.

Although primarily managed for nature, making our nature reserves accessible and welcoming is a key focus of our work.

They are often the first way that people come into contact with the Trust. In addition to high profile sites such as Attenborough and Idle Valley Nature Reserves, with facilities such as cafes and shops, we have other wonderful natural gems across the county.

At Besthorpe Nature Reserve in Trent Vale, you can see a wide range of wetland birds from the various wildlife watching screens.

Just a little further upstream, Farndon Willow Holt hosts a rare collection of willows right next to the river with a choice of pubs and restaurants just yards away.

Further upstream, on the edge of Nottingham at Holme Pierrepont, is the stunning Skylarks Nature Reserve with a mix of wetland and grassland areas.

In addition to our many wetland sites we have wonderful woodlands such as Treswell, Eaton and Gamston Woods near Retford or Ploughman Wood near Lowdham — all ideal places to head on hot sunny days if you want a walk in the dappled shade.

While our meadows are perhaps past their best in terms of wildflowers for this year, sites such as Teversal Pastures, or the grassy areas of Wilwell Farm Cutting, offer plenty of opportunities to spot butterflies and other invertebrates, and the heather should be in good shape at Rainworth Heath in the heart of Sherwood Forest.

So, with the summer now in full swing, why not plan a trip to at least one of our nature reserves.

With over 40 sites the length and breadth of the county, there’s bound to be one not too far away just waiting to be discovered.

Find your nearest nature reserve online at the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust website.