Life in the Ravines

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Life in the Ravines

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

31/08/2026

The rain has arrived at last 🌧️

After months of prolonged drought our young saplings can breathe a sigh of relief - they DEFINITELY needed a drink. Anyone else enjoying the rain as much as this little froglet?

Turn your sound on for maximum calming effect! 😌

28/08/2026

Sound on!🔊🎵

Experience this magical moment a clattering of jackdaws bursts from the canopy 🐦

03/08/2026

Standing tall and proud! 🌳 There's something truly special about seeing our planted trees emerging from their tree tubes as part of the LIFE in the Ravines project.

These trees were planted back in the 2022-2023 planting season, and watching them break through and reach for the sky is a wonderful moment for our hardworking site team, who have planted over 100,000 trees across the Peak District Dales Ravines.

📷 By Martha (Woodland Restoration Supervisor)

We're now starting to see the beginnings of a healthy canopy taking shape, a real sign of the woodland restoration taking root for generations to come.

31/07/2026

Creature Feature Friday! 🐛

We spotted this stunning Peacock Butterfly caterpillar whilst out surveying our sites!

These spiky black caterpillars feed primarily on stinging nettles, so next time you're tempted to pull them up, think twice! A nettle patch could be home to dozens of these beautiful creatures before they transform into one of the UK's most recognisable butterflies.

Have you spotted any Peacock Butterflies or their caterpillars near you this summer?

📷 By Martha - Woodland Restoration Supervisor

29/07/2026

Look what we found while out beating up coupes in the ravine woodlands of the Peak District! 🍄

The LIFE in the Ravines team spotted this magnificent Dryad's Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) during our woodland restoration work. Also known as the Pheasant's Back mushroom for its feathery, scaled cap, this fungus is one of the largest bracket fungi you'll find in UK woodlands, and our photos of Kester standing beside it show just how big they can grow.

Interesting fact: Dryad's Saddle typically appears on dead or dying broadleaf trees, especially elm, beech and ash, and plays a vital role in breaking down deadwood, recycling nutrients back into the woodland ecosystem. It's one of the first fungi to emerge in spring and can grow astonishingly quickly, sometimes reaching over 60cm across in just a few days.

Finds like this are a brilliant reminder of the rich biodiversity thriving in our ravine woodlands, and why restoring and protecting these habitats matters so much for nature recovery in the Peak District.

📸 By Martha (Woodland Restoration Supervisor)

28/07/2026

Six weeks of school summer holidays start now, but our tree growing programme has already finished for the season! 🌳

Since 2024, six school and community groups across Derbyshire have been growing on wych elm seed and acorns collected from our precious ravine woodland sites, nurturing nearly 1,100 saplings to one to two years old.

A huge well done to Horizon Sixth Form, Heartwoods FC, Buxton Juniors, Harper Hill Primary School, Firs Primary School, William Gilbert Primary School and Electric Daisy. Your dedication through this summer's challenging heat has made all the difference.

These young trees will now be cared for by our partners at the before being planted back out into the ravines they came from, helping restore these special woodlands for the future.

Did you know? Planting trees back on sites where their seed originated helps preserve local genetic diversity, meaning the new trees are already adapted to the specific soil, climate and conditions of that woodland, giving them the best possible chance to thrive.

Thank you to everyone who took part. Here's to watching these trees grow into the next generation of ravine woodland.

27/07/2026

Look who we found during recent works on site! 🐸 The LIFE in the Ravines team spotted a True Toad hiding away in a pile of brash wood, tucked up safe and snug.

True Toads (Bufo bufo) are brilliant woodland residents. Unlike frogs, they prefer to walk rather than hop, have dry, warty skin, and can live for over 10 years in the wild. They're mostly nocturnal, spending their days sheltering in log piles, leaf litter and deadwood before emerging at night to feed on insects, slugs and worms, making them a gardener and woodland manager's best friend.

This is exactly why we leave brash and deadwood on site during our restoration work. Piles of cut branches and decaying wood might look messy, but they're actually vital habitat, providing shelter for toads, invertebrates, fungi and small mammals, while slowly returning nutrients to the woodland soil. As we work to restore ravine woodlands affected by ash dieback, protecting these microhabitats is just as important as the tree planting itself.

📷 By Martha (Woodland Restoration Supervisor)

24/07/2026

We recently welcomed the BBC's Escape to the Country team to the Peak District.

Presenter Sonali Shah joined Martha, our Ravines Woodland Restoration Supervisor, and the wider restoration team for a tree planting session at one of our restoration sites in the beautiful Wye Valley.

It was a brilliant opportunity to showcase the vital work happening to restore ravine woodlands and protect these special landscapes for the future.

Watch the full episode via the link below.

https://bbc.in/4feRsCk

17/07/2026

🌿 Creature Feature Friday 🌿

The team have been out monitoring in the Peak District Dales ravine woodlands and came across this incredible find...Trichia decipiens, a species of slime mould tucked away on decaying wood in the understory.

Often overlooked, slime moulds aren't fungi or plants, they're fascinating organisms that move, feed, and fruit in their own unique way. Spotting the tiny, rust-coloured sporangia of T. decipiens is always a reminder of just how much life is packed into these woodland systems, if you know where to look.

Every monitoring visit turns up something worth stopping for. 🔎

📷 By Woodland Restoration Manager Martin

13/07/2026

Are you planning a visit to Monsal Dale this summer? ☀️🌿

If so, don't forget to support our partners with their woodland restoration work🌳

The forestry team have set up seven photo points across the dale, creating a beautiful walking loop starting from Monsal Head 🥾 Each point has been carefully chosen to capture a unique landscape view — and the results have been amazing.

So far, over 1,700 photos have been submitted by the public, helping the team track the impact of their restoration efforts across the sites 📸

Want to get involved? Head to the link below to find out more and add your photos to the project! 👇

https://bit.ly/4whN6jm

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Bakewell

Website

http://www.lifeintheravines.co.uk/

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