Help with restoration work at Withens Clough
Thursday 13 June 2024
Calderdale communities invited to do hands-on work for climate resilience
The National Trust and Yorkshire Water have announced plans for upcoming landscape restoration work at Withens Clough Reservoir, with the chance for locals to help.
If you are looking for the chance to do some hands-on environmental work, you might want to get in touch with Landscapes for Water, a partnership project from Yorkshire Water and National Trust.
Photo: HebWeb
The project's team is looking for volunteers to help plant 55,000 trees around Withens Clough Reservoir and Turvin Clough from this autumn, as well as groups who would like to know more about upland conservation in the South Pennines.
The project team, accompanied by technical experts from the Woodland Trust, the White Rose Forest, Natural England, and the Forestry Commission, made the request as part of a public engagement event last Tuesday (4th June) at Mytholmroyd Community Centre. (See HebWeb News item)
Their work in and around Cragg Vale will also include the installation of around 400 natural flood management leaky dams, following on from similar conservation work undertaken at Marsden Moor early this year, where 65,000 trees were planted and 1,000 leaky dams are planned.
The event was a real success with 86 people in total attending. It presented an opportunity to the local community to ask questions to the project team and affiliated experts. A broad range of topics were covered including maintenance and monitoring, access and public rights of way improvement, archaeology and cultural heritage, ecology and landscape, farming, and volunteering and engagement opportunities.
Anyone who wants to know more are invited to email and get on a dedicated mailing list for community events and volunteering opportunities. The team are also happy to arrange talks for school children or special events for those with limited mobility.
Jess Yorke, Landscapes for Water project lead for National Trust, said, "We're really excited to get started with our work around Withens Clough Reservoir. We hope that local people will actively engage with us as we'd really value their support. Landscapes for Water has been designed to have a positive effect for nature, wildlife and people in the South Pennines, and we want to include the community in our work as much as possible."