Bee and scabious, (c) Alex Dommett
Warmley Community Nature Reserve
A haven for people and wildlife
Imagine stepping out of your home into a neighbourhood full of nature . . . bees buzz around blossoming trees, butterflies flutter from garden-to-garden, and bats twist and turn, gobbling up insects against a summer sunset. In winter, birds feed from berry-laden bushes and wildflowers left to set seed, frosty cobwebs drape between hedges, where hibernating hedgehogs make their homes, and robins treat us to some well needed bird song during the coldest months of the year.
Warmley Community Nature Reserve is made up of gardens, allotments, window boxes and balconies, and where council-owned public open spaces, school grounds and community spaces have been improved for wildlife too! Whether that's planting for pollinators across front gardens, creating an orchard along a whole street, building a hedgehog highway, or helping our neighbours to delight in the creatures we share our neighbourhoods with.
Our gardens and community green spaces are a lifeline for wildlife, little havens scattered through urban networks and intensively managed farmland. Together, the UK's gardens are larger than all of our National Nature Reserves combined, making them as important for wildlife as they are for our own wellbeing.
Warmley Community Nature Reserve Impact Report 2026
Nick's wildlife-friendly garden, Warmley
Helping Hedgehogs in Warmley & Beyond, (c) Marilyn Bushell
Jean's Mini Container Pond
Long-tailed tit nest, William Champions Gardens, Warmley
Wildflowers in the cracks, Kingswood Heritage Museum Car Park, Warmley
Yellow Face Bee, Kingsway Park Garden, Warmley
Fox-and-cubs wildflower, Residents Garden, Kingsway Park, Warmley
Map
Each hand on the map below represents an organisation or household who have signed up for the Warmley Community Nature Reserve and are doing something positive for nature - whether that's in a private front or back garden, a window box, an allotment, or a public community garden.
Layers
How to get involved
Warmley Community Nature Reserve was funded by South Gloucestershire Council. While the funded phase of the project comes to an end March 2026, the spirit of the initiative continues to thrive. Local residents who first joined through project activities have now taken the lead, forming The Warmley Flock, an unincorporated community group dedicated to supporting neighbours to take action for nature in their own gardens and shared spaces.
- On Facebook? Join the Warmley Flock Community Nature Reserve Facebook Group for wildlife sightings, tips, ideas and encouragement from local residents.
Join the Warmley Community Nature Reserve Facebook group
- Log what you see! Share your wildlife sightings on the Facebook Group. You can also upload your sightings on a smart phone or computer on the iNaturalist App or via the BRERC website.
- Get in touch with one of the Warmley Flock members if you would like to find out more. warmleyflock@gmail.com
News & Stories
FAQ's
What is a community nature reserve? A community nature reserve doesn’t have to be a large patch of green space away from home! A community nature reserve is when people join forces to make habitats for wildlife in their own spaces, whether that’s your own garden, a grass verge or even a window box. It’s when people come together to garden with wildlife in mind – a community nature reserve could be across a whole village, a street, a block of streets or even a few gardens!
There are many community nature reserves, check out our community nature reserve resources – full of inspiration from Bedminster, Emerson’s Green, and Bath.
What are the benefits? Creating a community nature reserve helps us all realise the potential of our own gardens by;
- Creating spaces that provide essential food, water and shelter for wildlife to live, grow and reproduce.
- Building wildlife corridors between spaces, so creatures like frogs, newts and hedgehogs can find safe routes across the landscape.
- Community nature reserves are not just great for wildlife, they’re great for people too. Spending time in nature-rich areas is scientifically proven to improve our mental and physical health and we might meet a few new friends along the way!
Can I get involved if I live outside of the Warmley boundary? Of course - wildlife has no boundaries after all! We have identified key blocks of streets to improve based on how close they are to public open spaces and where there are gaps in wildlife corridors, but residents outside of these areas are also encouraged to take part!