Nature in the Dales

28/03/2026

YDNPA Volunteers and Officers have been protecting saplings from browsing deer and small mammals as part of the ongoing management of Cleatop Park Woodland, near Settle. There has been tree cover here for over 400 years; a type of ancient woodland where native trees have developed naturally – including oak, birch, rowan, holly, beech, sycamore, and ash. Non-native larch and pine were planted at the top of the wood for timber production after the war, and this is currently being managed to restore it back to native broadleaved species using the ancient forestry technique of horse logging. Where the non-native species have been felled it is encouraging to see native saplings starting to come up in the open spaces. As roe deer frequently browse through the woodland, these young trees need protecting to stop them being nibbled.

This woodland is one of the richest, most-complex habitats in the Yorkshire Dales, with centuries of undisturbed soils and decaying wood that has created the perfect home for rare ground flora such as bluebells and wild garlic, and communities of fungi and invertebrates. Ancient woods are rare – covering just 2.5% of the UK – and vital for biodiversity and climate resilience, each one unique to their locality.

24/03/2026

Keep an eye out in our woodlands for the first wildflowers of the year appearing on both the trees and the forest floor.

Recently we’ve spotted Lesser Celandine, Primrose, and Hazel catkins along with their tiny female flowers.

What signs of spring have you seen?

10/03/2026

With the recent mild, wet nights, amphibians are starting to move towards their breeding ponds. This Palmate Newt was spotted recently, and you can even see how newts lay their eggs by folding the tips of aquatic plant leaves over to protect them.

Take a look in your local pond this spring and see if you can spot any newts or their carefully folded leaves. Let us know what you find!

05/03/2026

We’ve had great news from the BTO. One of the Curlews tagged in the YDNP has returned. After spending the winter in SW Ireland, it set off on 2 March and headed back to its breeding site near Carperby in Wensleydale. After crossing the Irish Sea, Orange Lime arrived near Sellafield before making a loop north and returning to the Dales. Many of the harnesses are now a few years old and are designed to fall off, so we may not receive further details. A big thank you to the BTO British Trust for Ornithology for all their hard work in catching and tagging the birds and for the regular updates that have given us such a fascinating insight into the movements of our Yorkshire Dales Curlews.

You can find more about the project here: https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/about/wildlife/projects/breeding-waders-in-the-yorkshire-dales-national-park/ -are-they-now

03/03/2026

Happy World Wildlife Day!

A good reminder of just how lucky we are to share the Dales with so many incredible species. Whether it’s Curlews bubbling over the meadows, starlings chattering on the wires, or that surprise glimpse of a hare or owl when you least expect it, it’s these moments that make working with wildlife so rewarding.

Days like today are a chance to appreciate everything that’s already here, and everything we’re still working hard to protect. Thanks to everyone who does their bit, whether that’s surveying, restoring habitat, reporting sightings, or simply taking a moment to notice what’s around them.

Here’s to the wildlife that makes the Dales feel alive.

03/03/2026

Holding On for Habitat: Ash Trees That Still Give Back

This mature ash tree at Ballowfields Nature Reserve is just one of many in decline from ash dieback – a disease that has sadly seen the removal of huge numbers of our native ash tree from our landscape over recent years. But even though these trees are dying, they remain important homes for wildlife; especially bats, which roost in crevices, holes, and loose bark that are characteristic of older trees. Birds, insects, fungi and lichen also depend upon them. Because of their habitat value, it is vital that these ash trees are managed throughout their decline rather than removed entirely. Our ash tree at Ballowfields has recently had a ‘soft dismantle’ to make it safer to members of the public by removing dead and brittle branches that were at risk of dropping out from the canopy, while the main stem and shortened branches have been left. And instead of cutting, branches were gently snapped off to replicate a more natural environment for wildlife to inhabit. The brash has been left at the base of the tree as a further habitat pile, and the pruning work might even invigorate some response growth this summer.

27/02/2026

The starlings are celebrating the return of the waders! 🐦

Their mimicking skills are incredible, and you can hear them showing off curlew and oystercatcher calls in this clip. It makes us even more excited to see these wonderful birds nesting nearby.

21/02/2026

On a lunchtime walk earlier this week we spotted this sparrow, possibly sheltering from the wind.

Sightings like this are a great reminder of why the Homes for House Birds project is so important. Many of the little nooks and crannies these birds rely on are being lost, and projects like this help provide the safe spaces they need to thrive.

Find out more about the project here:
https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/about/wildlife/projects/homes-for-house-birds/
https://www.ydmt.org/what-we-do/landscape-and-wildlife/homes-for-house-birds

18/02/2026

Did you know that It's Nestbox Week from the 14th to the 21st of February?!

We have been busy out in the Dales over the past two weeks installing more than 100 new nest boxes. 🐦

This work is all part of the Homes for House Birds project, delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and the RSPB with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. By creating more safe spaces for our house birds, we are helping to support their future across the Yorkshire Dales.

18/02/2026

Spotted by our estates team in Horton in Ribblesdale 🐭

Long grass, hedgerows, scrub and dry stone walls provide vital winter shelter for voles.

📷 Paul Bishop

14/02/2026

This Valentine's Day we're celebrating ivy, a plant that is loved by wildlife, especially at this time of year:

💚 The evergreen leaves provide shelter for wintering invertebrates

💚 The nutritious berries ripen in late winter, providing vital calories for birds when other food is scarce

💚 The dense cover provides safe nesting sites for birds in the spring

💚 The flower buds feed the caterpillars of Holly Blue butterflies in summer

💚 The flowers in autumn provide nectar for pollinators when most other blooms have gone over for the year.

Show some love for this much misunderstood plant.

12/02/2026

Come and work for us!

We have an exciting opportunity for a Jewels of the Dales Project Officer to join our team this year, see below for details:

Thank you for your interest in working for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Any current vacancies we have are listed below, along with details of how to apply and […]