Voluntary work opportunities

This intervention aimed to address low water levels and low water quality in the Sandall Beat Wood and Cantley Park. The problems have been identified by the council and this project was planned to improve the water levels as well as the water quality. This also helped in improving the gross water flow of the regions and protected the wetland habitats. In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, the project successfully engaged local communities. (Ref 2).

The Paul Verlaine Garden received the "EcoJardin"(Eco-Garden) label in 2014 (Ref. 2). The EcoJardin repository is intended to be a methodological tool to guide good practices for gardeners and managers of green spaces (Ref. 6)."This garden is labeled as "Tourisme et Handicap". Work has been done so that this place takes particular account of the accessibility to the people with reduced mobility and the visually impaired. The Jardin Paul Garden is a succession of environments and vegetation architectures" (Ref. 1). At the entrance of the park, there is a playground, a garden of le Petit Poucet, and further the forest of birches, vegetable garden and the garden of tall grasses (Ref. 1).

An urban park located in front of the central train station in Bucharest, built in 1937, and rehabilitated in 2008, as a response to an environmental awareness campaign. The park is a buffer green zone between the train station and the industrial neighborhood (1)

The Wetlands uses natural processes for water treatment and involved local communities in the regeneration of the area. The
Wetlands were constructed in 2005 by diverting a small flow of Chellow Dene Beck through a constructed wetland designed to improve the appearance, water quality and biodiversity of the site. It consists of a series of ponds at the lower end of the site that acts together to remove impurities from the water before returning it to the beck further downstream. The creation of wetlands and maintenance is also a part of the larger Bradford beck project. (reference 1) The site is also used as a recreational trail for the local people and tourists (ref 4). As the reservoir is a local recreational centre it also promotes (paid) recreational fishing activities in some designated spots (ref 5).

Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits Nature Reserve has a variety of habitats. The site is largely artificial, originating from former gravel pits. The river gravels were of good quality and represented an important local source for the construction industry. The pits ceased to be worked in 1970’s and flooded. Infill materials - a variety of materials have been used: building rubble, soil and treated sewage residues from the treatment plants. Plant materials and soil from parks, gardens and building sites have added to the bio-diversity. The reserve is owned by Bradford Council and managed by Wharfedale Naturalists Society volunteers. (reference 1) With the support of Natural England, the site was declared a Local Nature Reserve in October 2013. (ref 7).

The Sun Lane nature reserve in Burley-in-Wharfedale is the second site in Bradford to receive the Local Nature Reserve (LNR) status. The land was used as a garbage dump and reclaimed in the 1970s. (ref1) Pollution from the landfill site was leaching into nearby watercourses and in 1993, Bradford Council undertook a scheme to cap the landfill and restore the site. They installed a reed-bed purification system, to eliminate pollution from contaminated water and add to the reserve’s biodiversity. The Burley Village Wildlife Group began conservation work to enhance biodiversity. (ref4) In 2003 a group of volunteers took over the maintenance of the area and now help to manage it in collaboration with Bradford Council (ref 5). As the site heals at its best, forty-two Common Blue butterflies were recorded together in 2006 (ref 5).

Bowling Park is a public urban park and the key purpose is to grow fruit, develop wildlife habitats and create sociable urban green space as well as maximise the biodiversity of the site and minimise any adverse impact on the environment. The orchard, along with allotment sites, as a whole is a valuable part of the Green Infrastructure Network in Bradford (ref 1). The orchard is developed on six disused allotment plots adjacent to Bowling Park. In March 2003 the orchard has planted over 40 trees including- 35 varieties of apple, 6 pears and 4 plums (ref2).

The sustainable garden was created in 2013. Based on the gold award-winning RHS flower show entry in 2012 by the university’s ‘water@leeds’, the garden is an excellent example of collaborative working between the Facilities Directorate, Leeds University Union and academic staff. The garden provides a multi-functional space for staff, students and visitors to campus to enjoy quiet contemplation but also to cultivate an allotment-and-forest-style edible garden. It is a great example of a functioning ecosystem with wildflower areas, soft fruit hedgerows, insect houses and pocket habitats. (1)

Heeley City Farm came into existence in the middle of 1981 (ref 3). It is a community-based and led training, employment and youth enterprise (ref 1) and a much needed green space in the inner suburban Sheffield with recycling, healthy living facilities, a garden centre, cafe, and charity shop. Heeley City Farm also manages food growing projects across Sheffield. (Ref 3) The Farm addresses poverty, inequality, prejudice and lack of opportunity by supporting community regeneration and self-help within environmentally friendly and self-sustaining systems, using the background of a mini-farm, community gardens and related resources. (Ref1)

A nature park in Bucharest containing the wetlands surrounding Lake Vacaresti. It was initially a swamp drained by the communist regime, which builds a complex of apartment blocks. In 2014 it was declared protected by the Romanian Government and named Văcărești Nature Park, and was approved as a natural protected area in 2016. (1)