Notts BAG

Did you know that native Black Poplar (Populus nigra) are rare but not #endangered? 😱

On Thursday, at Nottingham Trent University's Brackenhurst Campus we planted cuttings with the hope that we can continue growing the tree to plant across #Nottinghamshire!

@nottinghamtrentuni.bsky.social

A welcome splash of yellow!
Vivid gorse is brightening the slopes at Calverton Pit Top. These hardy shrubs thrive on former pit sites and along heathland edges, bringing colour through winter and offering year round shelter for wildlife.
#NottsNature #Heathland #WinterColour

Spring starts small.
Sweet Violet is in bloom at Portland Park. One of the earliest wildflowers to wake, it makes the most of cool spring light before the canopy closes. On mild days, it offers a quiet nectar stop for early insects hovering back into activity.
#SpringSigns #NottsNature #Wildflowers

#Sycamore buds at #Newstead showing their classic mid March look: large, pointed terminal buds with neat overlapping scales and opposite side buds along the twig.

One of the clearest signs that trees are waking up for spring 🌳

#TreeBuds #SpringSigns #NottsNature @nottswildlife.bsky.social

😂 I'm sure you were certainly rocking it, what with focusing on making sure the toads were okay!

Yes indeed, it has a strong association with former Monasteries, and was believed to be used as medicine for malaria at the time. It is genetically distinct from cultivated Crocus species, which is why it's on Nottinghamshire's LBAP list! 😁

Great work Rob! 🐸

Unfortunately, I don't think birds can tell the difference between the species 😄 But Signal Crayfish were originally brought to the UK from North America to sell as food (for humans), but it didn't catch on - so they were released into our waterways💦

Yes, we do! 🦞 Unfortunately they are an endangered species which is why we work to rescue and release them in areas where the non-native Signal Crayfish are absent. We also have a local project in Bulwell where we actively remove Signal Crayfish from fishing ponds 😁 👍

On Tuesday we were at #Alverton disused railway, clearing the scrub for the #GrizzledSkipper. We focused on removing saplings and exposing the rubble associated with railways, exposing Creeping Cinquefoil. We also planted some to help attract the butterfly to the area.
@nottswildlife.bsky.social

Nottinghamshire’s heathlands are rare treasures of Sherwood Forest, home to many unique species. With 80% lost since 1800, restoration is vital to protect them and these precious landscapes. 🌿✨

Read our in-depth blog to find out more: nottsbag.org.uk/2026/02/19/h...

#nottinghamshire #heathland

Last week we were at #NottinghamTrentUniversty promoting #NottsBAG and the next Conservation Internship (a.k.a. the next Me!) at the NTU Careers Fair! We spoke to LOTS of students and we had a lot of interest in our conservation projects!

#NTU #CareersFair #InternshipOpportunity #Conservation

🌿 New on the blog! 🌿

Center Parcs’ conservation team is restoring lowland heathland in Sherwood Forest using scrub removal, bare‑ground creation, and heather transplants!

Read more to find out how: nottsbag.org.uk/2026/02/17/l...

#conservation #heathland #biodiversity #Nottinghamshire #Sherwood

Early colour, and a local species.
Nottingham Spring Crocus (Crocus vernus) in bloom at Holy Trinity Church, #Lenton. This locally scarce plant has a Nottinghamshire LBAP Species Action Plan and provides a welcome nectar stop for early insects: nottsbag.org.uk/lbap/
#SpringSigns #NottsNature #LBAP

Spring, wrapped and waiting.
A Horse Chestnut bud at Clifton Grove. These large, sticky buds hold leaves, flowers and future conkers all at once, sealed up as the tree prepares quietly while winter fades.
One of those moments where spring feels very close.
#SpringSigns #NottsNature #TreeBuds

New on the blog! 🌱

The Wilder Crow Hill Project is restoring acid grassland, reconnecting woodland, and boosting habitat for wildlife at Bramcote Hills Park!

Click here to find out how this is taking place: nottsbag.org.uk/2026/02/12/w...

#biodiversity #conservation #nature #Nottinghamshire

A Common Toad resting in the grass at Bunny, #Nottinghamshire. With its warty skin and copper eyes, it’s a key predator of slugs and insects, and many return to the same breeding ponds every spring. This #amphibian is an #LBAP species, reflecting ongoing population declines nottsbag.org.uk/lbap

Explore the wild side of Nottinghamshire! Our latest blog uncovers surprising species, local conservation wins, and why these spaces matter. Take a look 👇

nottsbag.org.uk/2026/02/10/b...

#NatureAdvent #NottsWildlife #Biodiversity #Conservation

Early February Thieves Wood, and nothing is truly still.
Winter light reveals the structure of a woodland quietly preparing for spring. Mosses, fungi and foraging birds keep the habitat alive, ready for the season to unfold. A moment where the pause before spring feels just as rich.
#WoodlandLife

A quiet woodland milestone.

Wood Anemones are starting to appear on the woodland floor at Portland Park, taking advantage of the spring light before the canopy closes. Always feels like a turning point in the season when these show up.
Have you seen them yet?
#SpringSigns #NottsNature #Wildflowers

A sign of spring!
Soft, silvery sallow buds beginning to burst at Mill Lakes, #Bestwood Country Park. Goat #Willow is vital for early pollinators, providing some of the first pollen and nectar of the year when little else is available.
Easy to walk past, but hugely important.
#SpringSigns #Sallow

🌳Free woodland creation workshops are coming! 🌳

Plus a major Grey Squirrel event following new Red Squirrel sightings in the East Midlands! 🐿️

Find out more: nottsbag.org.uk/2026/02/05/w...

#NatureAdvent #NottsWildlife #Conservation #GreySquirrel #Biodiversity

Nottinghamshire’s native white‑clawed crayfish have had quite a year, from rescues to new Ark site investigations. 🦐💚
Want to know what happened and what’s planned next?

Read on to find out more: nottsbag.org.uk/2026/02/04/w...

🦐💚

#WhiteClawedCrayfish #Conservation #CheckCleanDry

Tree bark that breathes?
Cherry bark like this in #Newstead, #Nottinghamshire, is lined with lenticels - tiny pores that allow the tree to exchange gases. They also create miniature shelters for lichens, mosses and invertebrates. Even in winter, these surfaces are alive if you look closely!
#Nature

Snowdrops are on their way here in Nottinghamshire but they're not fully on show just yet!

This week, we kicked off Dragonflies on the Bog habitat restoration work at our project’s NTS Glencoe locations with Stag Infrastructure and National Trust for Scotland. #dragonfliesonthebog
#naturerestorationfund
#naturescot
#scotgovnetzero
#worldwetlandsday

Quiet winter light over Ransom Heath, #Nottinghamshire. Open, low nutrient ground like this doesn’t persist by chance. Ccareful winter management keeps heathland open, and without it rare species would quickly lose the space they depend on.
Quiet season. Vital work.
#HeathlandHabitat #ConservationIn

Happy February! From now until the end of June, Notts BAG will post every weekday, sharing spring‑to‑summer photos of habitats and species. 🌱☀️
We’ll also post 2 blogs a week and include updates regarding what we are up to in terms of our conservation activities.

🌿Come follow the journey with us! 🌿

On Tuesday, we were out at #Rushcliffe Halt and Cutting, clearing the ground for the #GrizzledSkipper. We removed some plants to expose the #grassland, planted Agrimony and Wild Strawberry to attract the butterfly, and had a bonfire to dispose of the woody plants!

@nottswildlife.bsky.social

🌞 16 volunteers joined the #GrizzledSkipper Project near #Kilvington, to enhance the site for invertebrates. Clearing scrub, creating sheltered areas of grassland, and planting 20 - 30 wild strawberry and agrimony plants. In addition, a number of tree guards were removed from the area🦋