Park users and the public are being asked for their views to help shape plans for rewilding Allestree Park.
Derby City Council is working with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the University of Derby on the first large-scale urban rewilding project in the UK, in the city’s largest public park.
More than 2,000 people took part in a public consultation in early 2022 and the results, and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s vision for rewilding, were accepted by the Council’s Cabinet in August 2022.
Now it’s time to add detail to the vision. The Trust and the Council have been talking to local residents and park users in recent months, and the Trust wants to learn about how people use, and want to use, the space.
The Trust are running three events at the park during the summer to listen to the views of the public. Contributions from these sessions, together with the results of the first consultation, will be used to inform the final plans, with publication planned for the autumn.
The summer events will take place on:
- Saturday 15 July
- Sunday 23 July
- Saturday 5 August
More information about these sessions, including times, will be updated on the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust website.
A spokesperson for Derby City Council said:
The rewilding project is as much about making space for people as it is about encouraging more biodiversity. There are many benefits both for nature and people, so we want to make sure it’s done right.
Rewilding on this scale in an urban area is a first for the country so it’s vital that the public have their say in how we progress it.