Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

23/06/2026

Nature has inspired stories, songs and poems for generations 🌿

As Yorkshire Wildlife Trust celebrates its 80th anniversary, we’re reflecting on decades of people connecting with nature and the many ways it continues to inspire us today. 💚

If wildlife or wild places have ever moved you, why not turn that feeling into words? ✍️

Today we’re celebrating nature through poetry and inviting you to get involved in our special anniversary poetry competition or join our poetry workshop on 28th.

Tag a nature-loving poet. 🌼

www.ywt.org.uk/poetrycompetition

22/06/2026

Welcome to INNSect Week! 🐝

Thinking about creating a pond? It could become one of the best things you ever do for wildlife at home.

A pond provides drinking water, shelter and a safe place to breed, supporting everything from frogs and newts to birds and mammals.

And it’s not just for bigger wildlife… ponds are a lifeline for insects too.

Dragonflies, damselflies, water beetles and more all depend on freshwater habitats to feed, grow and thrive.

Get started: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSQ4h8Gagr8

This INNSect Week, we’re also shining a light on invasive non-native species and how we can all help protect these special habitats.

Discover more by joining one of the INNS Week webinars: www.ywt.org.uk/wildlife/conservation-action/west-yorkshire/invasive-species

Or come along in person:
Adel Dam – 25th June
Langsett Reservoir – 26th June

Jon Hawkins 📷

22/06/2026

Love thy crayfish! What do you really know about Yorkshire’s native white-clawed crayfish?

This Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) Week, join the Yorkshire Crayfish Forum for a world-exclusive investigation with a twist… speaking directly to the crayfish themselves (sort of)!

Our white-clawed crayfish are the UK’s only native crayfish species – and they’re fighting for survival. But there’s something simple we can all do to help protect them:

Check, Clean, Dry ✅
- Check your gear and clothing
- Clean everything thoroughly
- Dry before visiting another waterbody

Take a few minutes to watch, have a laugh, and learn how you can help give Yorkshire’s native crayfish a fighting chance.

Full length film: https://youtu.be/rTlskbsMULk

Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust Nidderdale National Landscape Flamingo Land Resort Environment Agency Yorkshire Water Angling Trust University of Leeds Leeds City Council Calderdale Council Don Catchment Rivers Trust Yorkshire Invasive Species Forum

21/06/2026

One of the best ways to discover more about wildlife is to hear from people who know it well. Sir John Lawton CBE FRS, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust past President and Chair was interviewed by the Trust’s Telling our Story Volunteer, Sara Spillett in his York garden, surrounded by spring flowers and singing birds.

Watch Sir John's insightful interview as he takes a nostalgic look back over 80 years of YWT and his life in nature conservation. 💚

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNn8kqYmcts

21/06/2026

This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating some of Yorkshire’s most dedicated dads – the feeders, the defenders, and the quietly brilliant carers that help our wild places thrive. Across our woods, meadows, rivers and coastlines, fatherhood takes many forms.

While some dads take centre stage, others support from the sidelines, but all play their part in the incredible web of life that makes Yorkshire so special. From feeding fledglings to guarding nests and supporting families from afar, Yorkshire’s wildlife dads show us that there’s no single way to be a great parent.

Celebrating all the wild and wonderful Dads everywhere - forever Dad's taxi!

Zsuzsanna Bird 📷

20/06/2026

If you love the weird and wonderful side of wildlife, this one’s for you.

Slime moulds might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of nature, but they are fascinating, unusual and well worth a closer look.

What do you think, freaky or fascinating?

Discover more: www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/wildlife-zone/weird-wildlife/slime-moulds

19/06/2026

How do you move a seagrass meadow? One core at a time. 🌱

Seagrass cores are carefully collected from healthy meadows and transplanted into areas of bare mudflat, where they can establish, grow, and spread. Over time, these new patches can develop into thriving seagrass meadows that support marine wildlife, store carbon, improve water quality, and help protect our coastlines. 🌊

From the satisfying pop of extracting a core to watching new life move in, every transplant is a small step towards restoring these incredible underwater habitats. 🐟🦀
Have you ever seen a seagrass meadow up close?

, one of the largest seascape restoration projects in the UK aims to restore 10 acres of seagrass each year. Delivered by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, with support from Ørsted, ReMeMaRe and the Water Environment Improvement Fund.

18/06/2026

Think you know your wildlife?

From poo to gulls and everything in between, these quizzes are a fun way to test your knowledge and learn something new along the way.

Challenge your family, play with friends or go up against colleagues. Come back and tell us your score!

Quizzes

17/06/2026

Today’s - pick up a wild read! 📚

Want to stay connected to nature from the sofa, the train, or a shady spot in the garden? A good wildlife book can open up the natural world in a whole new way - helping you notice more the next time you step outside.

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got plenty of inspiration on our wild reading list: www.ywt.org.uk/blog/yorkshire-wildlife-trust/our-wild-reads-national-year-reading

And if you fancy discovering something a little unexpected, why not browse the second-hand bookshop at YWT Potteric Carr Nature Reserve? You might just find a hidden gem to take home. 💚

17/06/2026

This , we're celebrating one of the ocean's unsung heroes: seagrass.

Meet Corey the seagrass core. After leaving a thriving seagrass meadow, Corey set off across the mudflats to help start a brand-new seagrass neighbourhood at Spurn Point.

His mission? To help create a meadow that will:
🌿 Capture carbon
🐟 Support marine wildlife
🌊 Help protect our coastline

, one of the largest seascape restoration projects in the UK aims to restore 10 acres of seagrass each year. Delivered by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, with support from Ørsted, ReMeMaRe and the Water Environment Improvement Fund.