York wetlands environment project could help native but scarce tansy beetles

The annual Big Community Challenge will take place in June and is being organised by employee-volunteering charity York Cares, with support from City of York Council, environment charity St Nicks, and the University of York, which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Holly Hennell, manager at York Cares, says: “The rivers are a hugely important part of the city and also provide a huge range of habitats so it’s really important we work to maintain those. St Nicks have been doing a lot of work along the rivers already, along the Foss and the Ouse, trying to refresh habitats and create more environments where we can increase habitat areas particular for tansy beetle which is native to York. There’s a lot of work that has been done along the Ouse around that and we are hoping to be able to bring some tansy beetle to (the University of York) campus.”

The drive to restore the city’s wetland areas in June will likely be the charity’s biggest community challenge ever. Forty-three half day sessions will be running across the month, providing opportunities for around 800 volunteers, up from the 250 usually involved in the annual challenge. Last year’s programme of activity focused on creating green corridors – providing ways for animals and insects to travel between different parts of the city, as well as enabling people to do so without using cars, buses and taxis.

This year is about supporting York’s local biodiversity action plan and the areas of the city set to be transformed include Hull Road Park, where banks along the beck will be built up as part of restoration efforts to repopulate water voles; the University of York Campus East where there’ll be planting around the lake shore; and New Walk, where wildflower areas will be created and planting will take place to improve the habitats of endangered tansy beetles.

Coun Darryl Smalley, executive member for culture, leisure and communities at City of York Council, says: “The challenge will support York’s ecological network by allowing nature to thrive in our open spaces, wetlands, riverbanks and ponds.”

Charlie Jeffery, Vice-Chancellor at the University of York, adds: “We’re really looking forward to getting as many staff and students involved in this fantastic project, as well as bringing in our own expertise on how we preserve and improve biodiversity. We hope this challenge will help motivate everyone in our community to drive greater change towards sustainability, and make a difference, right on our doorstep.”

Environmental initiatives have been a focus for York Cares since its founding in 2005. The employee-volunteering charity, which brings businesses, employees and communities together, works closely with the council to identify project areas in the city. “Obviously environment is high on the agenda and that hasn’t changed since we launched,” Holly says. “So we’ve always had an environmental arm to our activity. It’s also a great way of engaging volunteers, getting them out into the community and providing positive health and wellbeing opportunities.”

Holly adds: “The Big Community Challenge is well supported by many of the city’s organisations who all encourage their staff to volunteer, but this year’s project is particularly ambitious. This is why we are also co-ordinating extra dedicated days each week for the local community to lend a hand so that even more people can get involved.

“We have identified wetland areas in the North, East, South and West of the city, linking to the city’s river heritage. The volunteering activities organised in these areas aim to preserve and improve biodiversity. They include creating bog gardens, ponds and wildflower areas, planting reeds and improving riverbanks. All areas selected are in close proximity to freshwater habitats and tasks will focus on preserving and improving these vital habitats for conservation.” To get involved, visit www.yorkcares.co.uk/bcc