Life in the Ravines

Life in the Ravines We will tackle the threat of ash dieback and restore the ravine woodland of the Peak District

It's !Reflecting on a Radiant Spring in the Ravines 🦋🌿✨As we head into the lush green of mid-June, we’re looking back a...
19/06/2026

It's !

Reflecting on a Radiant Spring in the Ravines 🦋🌿✨

As we head into the lush green of mid-June, we’re looking back at some of the early stars that helped kickstart the season!

Earlier this year, we captured this male Brimstone butterfly feeding on the Red Campion.

The Long-Distance Survivors:

Winter Warriors: Brimstones are incredibly tough. They spend the entire winter as adults, camouflaged in ivy or holly, waiting for the first warm days of spring to emerge. ❄️🛡️

The Name-Giver: Legend has it the word "butterfly" actually comes from the "butter-yellow" wings of the male Brimstone.

Perfect Timing: Their emergence is perfectly timed with the Red Campion bloom, providing them with a vital energy boost.

The spring bloom may have faded, but these early survivors are a vital part of the story! ☀️⛰️

What an incredible way to mark the end of an era! 🌳 Over the past two days, we hosted our final project conference, brin...
12/06/2026

What an incredible way to mark the end of an era! 🌳 Over the past two days, we hosted our final project conference, bringing together 100+ stakeholders, partners, woodland specialists and landowners to celebrate six years of partnership achievements.

From fascinating speaker sessions to rain-soaked site visits in our beautiful ravine woodlands, and drone flight demonstrations from — it was two days packed with reflection, learning and looking ahead.

A huge thank you to every speaker, organiser and attendee who made it such a special celebration. These woodland sites mean so much to local communities and visitors alike, and it's been a privilege to work together to protect and understand them.

Here's to what comes next. 🌿

12/06/2026

Creature Feature Friday: The Ravine Specialist! 🐝🧗‍♂️✨

Check out this incredible footage of a hunter from the Apocrita–Parasitica group—the Parasitic Wasps!

The Specialist:

Nature's Regulator: These wasps are vital to a healthy forest. By specializing in other insects, they ensure the ravine’s ecosystem stays in perfect balance.

The Silhouette: Notice that incredibly slender body and the "wasp-waist" (Apocrita). It’s perfectly designed for navigating the tight crevices of the woodland floor. 🕵️‍♂️

Deadwood Links: Many parasitic wasps rely on insects that live in deadwood, which is why we leave fallen branches on-site to rot naturally. It’s all connected! 🪵🔄

A brilliant spot that shows the complex "web of life" thriving in the dales. ⛰️🔍

It's been an insightful day at the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire today at the Life in the Ravines conference.This five...
12/06/2026

It's been an insightful day at the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire today at the Life in the Ravines conference.

This five-year programme in the Peak District, led by Natural England, is restoring ravine woodland that has been seriously damaged by ash dieback.

We enjoyed a drone demo and learning about their innovative drone seed spreading trial to plant in steep, rocky areas where traditional planting-by-hand techniques are almost impossible.

Fascinating work!

Treasures of the Tufa! 💎⛰️✨While we’re usually looking up at the canopy, sometimes the best finds are right at our feet....
10/06/2026

Treasures of the Tufa! 💎⛰️✨

While we’re usually looking up at the canopy, sometimes the best finds are right at our feet.

This stunning cluster of Calcite crystals was spotted peeking out from the mossy floor of the ravine this week.

Peak District Geology:

Ancient Origins: These crystals formed over 300 million years ago! Mineral-rich water seeped into cracks in the limestone, slowly cooling to create these geometric "dog-tooth" shapes.

The Foundation: The limestone that gives our ravines their steep, dramatic shape is the same rock that hosts these hidden gems.

Nature’s Contrast: We love the way the sharp, crystalline edges look against the soft green mosses of the dales.

It’s a literal diamond in the rough (well, Calcite in the limestone!) that reminds us how deep the history of these woodlands really goes. 🏛️🌿

Meeting the Elders of the Ravine 🌳👑✨Sometimes you need a human for scale to truly appreciate the majesty of our ancient ...
08/06/2026

Meeting the Elders of the Ravine 🌳👑✨

Sometimes you need a human for scale to truly appreciate the majesty of our ancient trees!

Check out Kestor standing with a massive Yew and Dan alongside a towering Elm.

Why these trees are icons:

The Immortal Yew: Yews can live for thousands of years. This giant has likely stood in this ravine watching the world change for centuries. 🕰️⛰️

The Resilient Elm: Finding a large, healthy Elm is always a thrill. While Dutch Elm Disease took many, survivors like this one are vital links to our woodland history. 🛡️

Legacy in the Making: The saplings we plant today are the "descendants" of these giants. We’re working to ensure that centuries from now, someone else can stand where Kestor and Dan are standing today.

It’s a privilege to work in the shadow of such history.

📸 by Arthur and Martha

Creature Feature Friday: The Scarlet Vaulter! 🔴⚫✨If you see a tiny flash of red and black darting through the undergrowt...
05/06/2026

Creature Feature Friday: The Scarlet Vaulter! 🔴⚫✨

If you see a tiny flash of red and black darting through the undergrowth, you’ve likely just met a Red-and-black Froghopper!

These beautiful insects are famous for their incredible jumping ability—they can propel themselves many times their own body length in a single bound to escape predators.

Why they are special:

A Warning in Red: Just like the cardinal beetles we’ve seen recently, their bold colours warn birds that they aren't a tasty snack. 🛡️

Ancient Connections: They are often found in established habitats like our ancient ravine woodlands, particularly where there is plenty of lush, damp vegetation. 🌿⛰️

Cuckoo Spit: You might know their larvae better than the adults—they are the tiny creatures that live inside the bubbles of "cuckoo spit" seen on plant stems in late spring! 🫧

Spotting these vibrant jumpers is a wonderful sign of the biodiversity we’re working to protect in the Peak District.

04/06/2026

Pioneering Technology: Drones taking flight to restore Peak District Ravine Woodlands! 🛸⛰️🌳

Innovation is meeting conservation in the dales! The LIFE in the Ravines project, led by Natural England and working in close partnership with the National Trust, has officially launched a first-of-its-kind drone seed-spreading trial.

The steep, rocky terrains of Dovedale and Lathkill Dale make traditional hand-planting nearly impossible and highly dangerous in certain areas. To solve this, the project has teamed up with the expert pilots at Quadrotor Services Ltd to deploy precision-built drones that scatter native tree seed mixes across 0.75-hectare plots on both sites.

This fantastic intervention safely mimics natural seed dispersal, ensuring that despite the devastating impact of ash dieback, our ancient ravine woodlands will have a healthy, diverse canopy for centuries to come.
A massive thank you to all of our incredible project partners making this trial a reality! 🤝💚

Link to the full story: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drones-take-flight-to-help-restore-peak-district-ravine-woodlands

Project Partners: Delivered by in partnership with , , , , , , and .

Miller’s Dale: The Crab Apples are Loving Life! 🍎🌳✨We’re seeing some fantastic growth on our Crab Apple saplings in Mill...
03/06/2026

Miller’s Dale: The Crab Apples are Loving Life! 🍎🌳✨

We’re seeing some fantastic growth on our Crab Apple saplings in Miller's Dale this week!

Why Crab Apple?

Wildlife Hero: These native trees are incredible for biodiversity. Their spring blossoms are a magnet for bees, and their fruit provides a vital winter food source for birds and small mammals. 🐝🐦

Ancient Heritage: Crab Apples have been a part of our landscape for thousands of years and are a tough, resilient addition to the ravine slopes. ⛰️

Spring Glow: Right now, they are putting on a growth spurt, reaching out from their protective guards and soaking up the May sunshine.

It’s rewarding to see the next generation of the dales' canopy taking shape! ☀️🌱

📸 by Martin Evans - Woodland Restoration Manager

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