Our urban wilderness

picture of a wicker hide within the Urban Nature project

Urban Nature at St Anns Allotments is a large wildlife and habitat project managed by STAA and its dedicated volunteers. The project provides an abundance of shelter, food and nesting opportunities for wildlife. Our Urban Nature site is a wonderful place for people to engage with nature in the heart of Nottingham.

The plots are home to a wealth of species, including ‘garden friends’ like hedgehogs, newts, frogs and all the garden birds in big numbers.  We also see many other creatures, like bullfinches, tawny owls, jays and the occasional deer. Pollinators are another key focus, and we manage the habitat to support all bees, butterflies and hover-flies for both biodiversity and to benefit the gardeners at St Anns Allotments. Urban Nature is also home to a small number of honeybee hives, looked after by a fully trained local Beekeeper.

The management of the plots gives our volunteers the opportunity to practice traditional crafts like hedge laying and coppicing as well as developing conservation and habitat management skills. If you’d like to join our team then you can complete a volunteer application form.