Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has published a comprehensive guide to almost 100 nature reserves across Yorkshire. Discover Yorkshire’s Wildlife is the ideal companion for anyone looking to get out and explore more of Yorkshire’s incredible wildlife. From porpoise, puffins and seals on the coast, to the meadows and birds of prey of the upland Dales, and all of the wonderful wild places in between – this book gives you a guided tour of the county’s best wildlife.
With over 90 nature reserves across Yorkshire listed and almost all of them free to enter, there’s a wildlife wonder awaiting everyone – for seasoned wildlife watchers or for those looking for more inspiration to get started. Intended to make exploring Yorkshire’s wildlife as easy as possible, the guidebook contains information about each reserve including how to get there, accessibility and the best wildlife to enjoy there each season. The book also includes information on the best reserves for families, the different seasons, for birdwatching, fungi and flowers, and a suggested seasonal walking route.
Yorkshire: a country of conservation
Professor Alastair Fitter, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust trustee and emeritus professor of biology at the University of York, explains in his foreword:
“Every reserve in this book is open for your enjoyment: the wild, the wilder and the wildest, from the big flagship reserves to Yorkshire’s most remote hidden gems. ‘Reserved for nature’ is not (or shouldn’t be) a place where things are kept unchanged and where people aren’t welcome. Some reserves are quite wild and though people are allowed on them, and encouraged, it’s on nature’s terms.”
Whether it’s a close encounter with puffins on spectacular white cliffs, multicolour meadows buzzing with bees and brimming with butterflies, or wondrous wetlands welcoming wintering wildfowl and waders in their thousands, our grand and glorious part of the world is a cracking place to experience nature at its best.
Yorkshire is a vital home for a huge range of important wildlife; our county supports two thirds of British flora, 60% of British moth and butterfly species, and around 70% of British breeding bird species. Of these, nearly 300 species are those of national conservation concern, and 130 have most of their distribution in our county, making us important custodians of their survival. Yorkshire’s reserves play a vital part in giving these Yorkshire stronghold species a safe space to thrive.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust CEO Rachael Bice adds:
“We are living in a time of change. Substantial challenges face us today and into the future, and the beauty of nature and the smallest of wildlife wonders can help to lift our hearts day to day as well as providing restorative escapes when we need them. We know even the smallest of actions when taken by many people makes big difference for our wildlife. We hope the new guide will inspire people to discover the wildlife on their doorstep, so they feel connected and encouraged to support our work across Yorkshire.”
Discover Yorkshire’s Wildlife will be available in all good Yorkshire bookstores and from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s online shop. Copies are available for free to all new members who join Yorkshire Wildlife Trust by visiting ywt.org.uk/membership, or call 01904 659570 and choose to pay by direct debit. Existing members can buy a copy at 30% discount by contacting the team at supporter.services@ywt.org.uk or on 01904 659570.
All profits from purchasing this book will go directly back into nature conservation at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
Where will your copy take you?
