REWILD THE CITIES | Large Herbivore Day at Parish Ponds

Part of a collection of Large Herbivore Day events taking place across Newcastle and Gateshead - open to all!

Our Lost Large Herbivores + Scrub 🦬

Our plants and trees evolved alongside large herbivores like Bison, Boar, Beavers, Elk and Aurochs - and have developed ways to cope with the pressures of living alongside such heavy-hooved, hungry creatures. For example, Bramble and Hawthorn have sharp thorns to make sure they don't get munched too much, and Willow produce fresh shoots quickly to compensate for not having such defences.

In Britain, whilst some species such as the Beaver are making a slow recovery from extinction, we have largely lost this important natural process - particularly in cities.

However our ecosystems still need this natural “disturbance” to grow and flourish. This is where YOU come in!

What we'll be doing

While it would be pretty exciting to see Bison, Boar and Beavers roaming around Parish Ponds, we'll instead be taking on the role of these lost herbivores and replicating the natural relationship which has evolved between them and our ecosystems.

We'll be focussing on managing willow, birch and alder growing along the wetland edges - to do this we'll be using tools such as shears to "nibble" or "browse" in a naturalistic way. You might be surprised just how easy (and fun!) it is to get into the mind of a rootling Boar, a stomping Auroch or a gnawing Beaver.

Instead of managing our greenspaces in a human-centred way, if we understand how our ecosystems function, we can also boost urban greenspaces for biodiversity.

We call this Urban Rewilding - by replicating lost natural processes, we can help our urban landscapes reach their maximum potential for wildlife - and have a lush day out in nature!

Who can take part?

Large Herbivore Days are open to everyone !

You don't need any experience to take part , and there'll be plenty of roles to fill and different tools to use, such as using shears to snip the Bramble like a Bison. You can have a go at different methods, and will be shown how to safely use your tools for the job.

What do I need to bring?

All equipment and gloves will be provided.

Please wear suitable, sturdy walking shoes/ boots (AKA 'hooves') as we might venture we off footpaths. Be sure to wear suitable clothing, we will be going ahead rain or shine! We'd recommend bringing a drink and some food with you. In the case of a severe weather warning the session may be cancelled. If so we’ll update this event listing in advance.

How do I take part?

Just turn up on the day! You don't need any prior experience, and everyone is welcome.

Where and when do we meet?

Please meet for a 10am start at Lily Pond, located at

Be sure to plan your journey in advance, and take a look at the parking tips (below). The session runs until 1pm, however you are welcome to leave before this if you need to.

Parking

A few parking spaces are available on Musgrave Drive at ///alerting.sparkle.tigers (please note that this new road has not yet updated on Google Maps!)

From here, cross over the road (Whortlton Lane) and enter the public bridleway at ///bibs.showed.deep. Walk along this gravel track for around 1 mile (approx. 20 minutes) to reach the meeting point at Lily Pond.

Facilities

Please note that there are no toilet facilities on site, and you will need to bring your own food and drinks for the day.

Who can I contact about the session?

These Urban Rewilding sessions are hosted by Wild Intrigue, if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch at [email protected]