The good news is, we’re working hard to make this a reality across Avon. In Bristol, we’re raising the profile of our Local Wildlife Sites with our My Wild City programme. The plan is to encourage everyone to get involved in enjoying and caring for these special wild spaces. We’ve been focusing on eight Local Wildlife Sites across the city, making improvements for wildlife and visitors.

Meanwhile in Bath, we’re part of the Bathscape scheme, a landscape partnership which aims to connect more people with the nature on their doorstep.

Following a tough couple of years, we’re very happy to report that all these projects are up and running again. 

Tucked away near urban developments across Bristol, there are 8 My Wild City sites, home to a fascinating array of wildlife.

Hengrove Mounds and Hawkfield Meadow. The wilder corner of the well-known Hengrove Play Park, The Mounds are a lesser-known hotspot for winter birds such as redwing, fieldfare, siskin and redpoll. Nearby Hawkfield Meadow is a valuable patch of remnant countryside, home to rare bees and many butterflies.

Lawrence Weston Moor and Saltmarsh Drive. Lawrence Weston Moor is one of the largest remaining wetlands within Avon, home to one of the UK’s most endangered mammals: the water vole. Listen out for the iconic ‘plop’ sound as they enter the water.

Take a ten-minute walk to get to Saltmarsh Drive Open Space to explore a historic pear and apple orchard in a post-industrial wildlife site.

The Northern Slopes.  The collective name given to three areas of natural open space; Glyn Vale, Wedmore Vale and Novers Common, remnants of the countryside in Knowle. Find your way out of the woodland onto a grassland hill known as The Bommie, where you’ll find an amazing view across Bristol and the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Coombe Brook Valley  If you’re looking to swot up on garden and woodland birds in winter, Coombe Brook Valley in Fishponds is a great site to test your skills! Listen out for long tailed tits searching for food. Their contact calls are a distinctive bubbly ‘prrrt-prrrt’.

Dundridge Woodland  Take a trip to Dundridge park and follow the deer path down to Dundridge Woodland, part of Conham Vale. You may catch coal tits bathing in the stream, and jays amongst the undergrowth.

Stockwood Open Space. Follow the hard-standing path past ancient woodland, orchards and swathes of wildflower meadows waiting to burst into life next spring. One of the biggest My Wild City sites, there’s a surprise around every corner in this rich wildlife haven.

Dundry Slopes. With stunning views over the city to the north and countryside to the south, being this high up gives a real escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Once deep in the woodland, you can almost forget you’re in the city at all. 

If you’d like to take part in My Wild City, there are a number of ways of doing so. How about joining a practical habitat management day with the My Wild City Action Team known as the WildCAT’s? Alternatively, if you’re a local business, organisation or community group next to a My Wild City site and would like to get involved, do get in touch.

The Bathscape Scheme was launched three years ago, aiming to promote better management and use of what is known as the ‘Bathscape’, the beautiful natural landscape encompassing Bath.

It’s been great to see how much has been going on recently, after the hiatus caused by the pandemic. Avon Wildlife Trust has supported some fantastic tree-planting work by our Community Action for Nature volunteers. Impressively, our volunteers managed to plant over 700 trees in the city’s Pennyquicck Park, with 500 planted in Brickfields Park. To find out how to volunteer, check out the Bathscape website.

Perhaps you’re curious to learn more about our natural pathway sessions, focusing on improving wellbeing and mental health by connecting with nature. These are continuing at Bath City Farm on Thursdays, with a plan to expand in the new year. If you would like to find out more about these classes, contact Bath City Farm. 

It’s heartening to see such opportunities opening up again. But not everyone has the time to volunteer or come to classes, and there are plenty of other ways to help nature. It may be that you want to give wildlife a home in your garden by allowing some corners to grow wild, or by feeding the birds. Or you might prefer to simply take a walk away from the Christmas crowds and explore one of the wildlife sites near you. You may just discover an abundance of nature on your doorstep.