The Market Place has been transformed into a woodland wonderland bringing a new, vibrant space for al-fresco dining and outdoor events over the summer. The space is free to access for residents and available to cultural partners to host events.

The family-friendly events will start conversations about climate change, biodiversity and the role that city residents of all ages have to play in protecting our environment and how we can all get involved.

Down To Earth Derby - 23 - 31 July

Down To Earth will be at the potting sheds to inspire and empower Derby to grow and nurture its relationship with the outdoors and create a city to be proud of. Their activities will include;

  • Repurposing household items - reusing plastic as planters with an interactive plant along (10.00am - 11.30am)
  • Pollinator talk. Come and create seed bombs with wild flowers
  • Composting 101. What to compost and how to set them up
  • Electric Daisy Showcase - making mocktails with herbs and sharing the city-wide vision story for Down to Earth (2.00pm - 3.00pm)

Think Ocean 23 - 31 July

Join Think Ocean’s conversation on the importance of recycling and reusing plastic and how to keep our oceans safe and clean.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust 23 - 31 July

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust will be talking all about their plans around Derby, from rewilding the waterways to rewilding Allestree Park and a bunch of their other initiatives and campaigns.

Alongside this they'll be engaging the public with many of their Take Action Campaigns. This will range from creative ways in which people can grow at home, building bird and insect habitats, rewilding their lawns, alongside educational tools and materials to take home in order to do so.

Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust - 23 - 31 July

The Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust will be speaking about their canal and river projects including their E-boat, as well as displaying and demonstrating ‘Artemis’, a plastic collection robot.

Hope For the Future - 26 - 31 July

Hope for the Future encourage you to talk to people in your local area, have a chat, have your say and take part in fun activities for all ages. Be inspired by the opportunities green jobs can provide for Derby.

Sprout Derby - 23 - 25 July

Sprout Derby will be offering a range of hands-on events for families including smoothie making and planting herbs to take home!

Plot to plate experience

  • Plants available to take home (mint, chard, rosemary, goosefoot)
  • Choc mint & spinach smoothies
  • Nutrition information, recipes and how to grow plants

Mushroom Monday

  • Mushroom jerky available to try
  • Make your own mini grow kits. Take home a grow kit in a tub. Watch the mycelium grow and let it fruit in your kitchen.
  • Information and talks about mushroom cultivation and easy to spot foragable mushrooms

Wild Food Tuesday

  • Wild food experience showcasing common foraged foods with tasters available
  • Recipes and wild edible information handouts

Earthed Up Derby - 23 - 28 July

Earthed Up Derby will be showing visitors edible and useful plants and telling us how to improve our well-being by using fresh plants.

Activities may include:

Herbs activity

  • Identify the culinary herb through smell
  • Making a custom herb blend for a nourishing tea; what smells nice together, what medicinal qualities may the herbs hold?
  • Takeaway a (plastic free) teabag of fresh herbs and an info card about the herbs
  • Opportunity to buy herb plants, for the garden or windowsill, grown by ourselves in Belper, without harmful chemicals, peat free, in recycled plastic pots

A design activity

  • What human needs can we meet with plants?
  • Demonstrate how our needs of: food, medicine, fibre, fuel and more can be met by plants. Rather than synthetics
  • Show through illustration the benefit of meeting our needs, with local plants

Other events include:

Tim Shieff 30 - 31 July

Rambles and connection with nature

Broomfield College 23 - 27 July

Promoting courses, sustainability and horticulture

Forest in the Square Sessions

Who was - 'The Man Who Planted Trees'? Sunday 14th August 2pm till 3pm

In this one hour session we will learn how writer Jean Giono came to write the book ; The Man Who Planted Trees, We will learn about the landscape that inspired the book and trees panting that the book inspired.

Finding your way? Can you see the Wood for the Trees? Sunday 14th August 3.30pm till 4.30pm

Using the Forest in the Square as our inspiration we will explore some simple techniques which will make map reading in the countryside so much easier.

Jamie Quince Starkey, Founder and Director of Down to Earth Derby commented:

We are incredibly proud and excited to bring to Derby City Centre - ‘A Force For Nature at Forest of The Future’ alongside friends and partners of environmental, community and nature based organisations we want to inspire and empower others to be the change they wish to see in the world, to be part of it and be there very own force of nature.

To have this event alongside this amazing Forest in the market square is revolutionary in itself and shows what Derby as a City wants for its future and that future is looks great.

Information about events taking place in the Urban Forest will be available on the Derby LIVE website.

Visitors to the Urban Forest are encouraged to use active and sustainable transport such as walking, cycling and public transport to reach the centre. 

Image credit: AVIT media