Wildlife Corridor Initiatives

We are all for joined-up thinking, when it comes to corridors for wildlife and for people

Any new highways cycleway scheme comes with a Department for Transport obligation to increase biodiversity by 10%. Many off-road cycleways have similar obligations.

Local people and wildlife groups can help here. Often, starting with a base-line study of wildlife is best, to find out what is there already, the acidity of the soil, aspect, whether there is water, etc. Some cycle routes pass through many micro-climates, it depends on the local area and length of the route.  

Nature will naturally re-colonise; people like to get involved with planting schemes too. There's a balance to be found between "tidy", "natural" and "biodiversity", to suit the area, length of path, and local community. Some planting could harvested in the future, such as hazel, apple, bramble and damson.  

In Ryedale there are local environment groups, and there is also outreach from national organisations. Here are some links that you can try for advice or information.