The data collected helped create detailed habitat maps and has informed conservation strategies, ensuring that the unique wildlife and habitats of Nidderdale are preserved and enhanced. The project was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

With the help of volunteers and ecological consultants, we carried out:

• Bird surveys  recording sightings of woodland and wading birds.
• Riverbank surveys  looking for signs of otter and water vole, sightings of kingfisher, dipper, and grey wagtail, and recorded occurrences of some invasive plant species such as Himalayan balsam.
• Plant surveys  looking for bluebell, common spotted orchid, mountain pansy, and other varieties, as well as some invasive species, such as Himalayan balsam.
• Invertebrate surveys  recording sightings of specified species such as garden bumblebee, mountain bumblebee, green tiger beetle, wall butterfly, and small heath butterfly.
• Pond surveys  carrying out eDNA analysis of small samples of pond water looking for traces of great crested newt DNA.

The project ran from 2017 to 2020 and culminated in a State of Nature Report for the area. (link to SoN report, document library). The State of Nature Report provides an overview of the wildlife and habitats found within Nidderdale AONB, summarizing the pressures on the natural environment and outlining actions needed to protect it.

It serves as a baseline for monitoring changes in nature and guides future conservation efforts. The report highlights the importance of the area’s diverse habitats, including moorland, grassland, woodland, and wetlands, and emphasizes the need for large-scale action to protect these environments.

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