On Wednesday 9th October, Gunthorpe Parish Council hosted the opening of the new Gunthorpe Riverside Nature Reserve in the village. The land was first purchased by the Parish Council in 2014 and over the last ten years it has been transformed with the help of local volunteers and various funding schemes, including help from the Sherwood Forest Trust and Greenwood Community Forest in recent years. Trees for Climate, a woodland creation programme, funded the planting of over 2000 new trees and shrubs at this beautiful location in spring this year.
Attending the opening event were members of the parish council, regular volunteers, school children from Gunthorpe Primary School, as well as local fishermen, dog walkers and residents.
Councillor Roger Jackson planted a little Sherwood oak tree grown at the Sherwood Forest Trust’s Community Tree Nursery and Lesley Jeffery, Clerk of Gunthorpe Parish Council, gave thanks to all involved. This year, Newark and Sherwood District Council have officially designated the area as local nature reserve and erected a new sign for the reserve.
Everyone managed to evade the Great British weather and it felt like a real celebration of the community effort that has created this specially protected area for wildlife and nature recovery.
Head teacher Mel Brown said that children from the school have already been along to see how their trees are doing and they are eager to continue to take advantage of this lovely space for nature. Richard Ward, a local contractor who helped create the reserve, mentioned that thankfully, the bulbs had even survived the rabbits!
The funding from the Trees for Climate scheme will help keep the reserve flourishing for years to come. It will ensure that the new trees are well cared for and keep it a healthy home for local wildlife. This picturesque reserve will benefit future generations, giving them a place to enjoy, learn and connect with nature.
Gunthorpe Riverside Nature Reserve is a great example of what we can achieve when a community comes together, thanks to these efforts, we now have a peaceful haven for wildlife and a place where nature can thrive and recover.
