Derwent Living Forest

The Derwent Living Forest is an ambitious nature restoration programme across the Derbyshire Derwent catchment. The Derwent Living Forest will not only provide an extensive haven of quality habitat for wildlife but will also offer further ecosystem services such as natural flood management benefits and increased carbon sequestration to assist in adapting to and reducing the impacts of climate change

Ellie Field Landscape Recovery Manager (Derwent Valley)

The Vision

To create 30,000 hectares of wooded habitats (such as woodland, hedgerows, orchards and parklands) and wetland by 2050 and establish a connection between the new woodlands of the National Forest in the south and the soon to be established woodlands of Northern Forest in the north. North-south connectivity, which this project will provide, is critically important to allow movement of species in response to climate change.

Working with local land-owners and community groups, the programme will make more space for nature, through improving woodland ecosystem connectivity; and make more space for water by implementing natural flood management measures and slowing the flow across surfaces and down slopes. The impacts of drought can also be reduced through natural flood management. Ponds and wetlands store water and provide a buffer against drought conditions by gradually releasing water during dry periods. The project will also work to make more space and opportunities for the public to access, enjoy and engage with these spaces!

Read the full vision here

Derwent Connections Project

Derwent Connections was an 18-month project funded by the Green Challenge Recovery Fund which was completed by the Trust in March 2023 as part of the Derwent Living Forest Programme vision to create 30,000 hectares of wooded habitats (such as woodland, hedgerows, orchards and parklands) and wetland by 2050.

Its aim was to identify ways to make more space for nature, through improving woodland ecosystem connectivity; and more space for water by implementing natural flood management measures and slowing the flow across surfaces and down slopes.

Derwent Connections kick-started the creation of a new landscape centred around the River Derwent catchment.

Creating a landscape dynamic enough to support a rich and diverse range of habitats from which species can spread; a landscape complex enough to deliver a range of crucial ecosystem services, from carbon sequestration to natural flood management; and a landscape durable enough to withstand the untold impacts of climate change.

Working with local land-owners and community groups, the project in the last year has made more space for nature, through improving woodland ecosystem connectivity; and more space for water by implementing natural flood management measures and slowing the flow across surfaces and down slopes. The project has also worked to make more space and opportunities for the public to access, enjoy and engage with these spaces.

Aims and Objectives of the Derwent Connections Project

Derwent Connections Project Vision

Derwent Catchment Map

Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s vision for a Living Derwent Forest providing space for nature’s recovery and natural flood management is one step closer following the success off the Trust’s Derwent Connections Project.

Now, the important Living Derwent Forest programme development work carried out by the team behind Derwent Connections to map out these opportunities is being delivered on the ground, with many more hectares of habitat being created.

The Living Derwent Forest programme is part of the Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change at the Landscape Scale Programme led by Natural England in close partnership with the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst. This Shared Outcomes Funded Programme is sponsored by Defra and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust was recently awarded funding to carry out this work and aims to create connected wooded habitats between the Northern and National Forests to allow movement of species in response to climate change.

It is part of a trial to find the most effective ways to capture carbon and mitigate the impacts of climate change. It will also develop an economically viable programme to support landowners to create and expand dynamic and resilient ecosystems.