Community Engagement Update, August 2026

Educational Visits

Wensleydale School returned in June for 3 full-day visits for students aged 11-14. Activities included: a walk to Kiln Viewing Screen, where we spotted a Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier, Bittern and Little Egrets; moth trapping; pond dipping; and an introduction to the Habitat Creation Nursery with Sophie. Here, students took part in activities that encouraged them to explore the nursery and identify a range of different plants. It was fantastic to meet Wensleydale students and to see them take part in activities with interest and enthusiasm. A huge thank you also to staff and volunteers who helped to support and lead activities throughout the week.

Almost 150 moth species were identified during one of the moth-trapping sessions with Wensleydale School in July, including this beautiful Pebble Hook-tip Moth.

Two groups of Year 8 students from Breckenbrough School joined us in early July for pond dipping on the main reserve. We found a wide range of species, including water scorpions and dragonfly larvae. Year 12 Breckenbrough students studying the Applied Science BTEC course also visited for a study day, starting with a plant transect on the causeway looking at the abiotic factor of trampling and the effect on clover. In the afternoon, students tried two types of sampling in the woodland glade; random sampling and systematic quadrats to see if there is any statistical difference between the two.

Two new Scouts groups have visited the reserve this summer and we’ve also welcomed two returning Scouts groups. We’ve enjoyed a range of activities, including pond dipping, bird spotting and butterfly and moth walks. We were very excited to see an Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar one evening in July!

Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar seen on an evening butterfly and moth walk with 1st Boroughbridge Scouts

LUCT bee survey volunteers Mark, Sandy, David and Maxwell led an engaging and informative bee identification walk for North Yorkshire Nature Explorers home education group. We identified a range of bumble bees and insects on the walk to and from the North Viewing Screen.

July evening on the main reserve after a Scouts group visit

Public Events

Although temperatures were quite cool overnight, 85 moth species were identified on our moth morning event in July, with Bryotropha similis new for the site and Orchard Ermine new for the 10K square (it has been caught before on the main reserve). Many thanks to Charlie and Jill for all their help and hard work with the moth trap events we’ve had through the summer.

Our summer Birds and Words event with poet Caroline Matusiak proved to be a relaxed and enjoyable morning of writing and taking time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the main reserve. We enjoyed listening to Caroline read poems from her new anthology, Words on the Bus which is now available at Ripon Cathedral shop.

In June, our Little Explorers group of pre-school children learnt about butterflies and their life-cycle, as well as making some fantatsic butterfly prints inspired by Commas and Red Admirals.

It was great to see over 20 young people and their families join us for our June conservation club, which was all about moths. We were able to see a wide range of species and find out more about them before making sandbag planters for the rest of the session.

We had a steady start to August’s dragonfly and damselfly walk as the sky had clouded over, but with some sunny spells later in the morning we saw Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Brown Hawker dragonflies and a fleeting glimpse of a Willow Emerald as well as Common Blue and Blue-tailed damselflies. Keith Gittens gave a fantastic introduction, discussing the differences between dragonflies and damselflies, their lifecycle and ways to distinguish species while June caught a number of species for us to take a closer look at.

Dragonflies on Flasks Fen event with Keith Gittens Common Darter

Dragonflies on Flasks Fen event with Keith Gittens

Groups and Visits

Our summer Dementia Forward Time out Together sessions focused on moths and we also made some sandbag planters with plants grown in the Habitat Creation Nursery. It was great to welcome staff from Mind in Harrogate for a staff away day at the main reserve, taking a walk to the North Viewing Screen and enjoying the birds and insects spotted along the way.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day for our August conservation club, which was all about butterflies. Starting in the visitor centre with an introduction to UK butterflies, we talked about the species we were hoping to see and then searched a range of habitats around Nosterfield Quarry looking out for them. We saw lots of butterflies and counted 14 different species, including the tiny Brown Argus on the causeway.

Spotting a Red Admiral on the causeway during our August conservation club

Displays

Currently in the main hide we have a display celebrating National Moth week, showcasing species found on the reserve, links to our 2025 moth report and fascinating facts.

There are a range of moth resources for children on the right-hand side of the display such as colouring and craft activities- please help yourself to these!

National Moth Week display in the Main Hide at Nosterfield Nature Reserve

Upcoming Events

Community Work Day: 12 September, 10am -1pm https://www.luct.org.uk/events-1/workday/sept2026

Little Explorers: 21 September, 10.30am -12pm https://www.luct.org.uk/events-1//little-explorers-autumn

Spiders at Nosterfield Nature Reserve: 23 September, 9.30am -11.30pm https://www.luct.org.uk/events-1/spidersatnosterfield

An Introduction to Fungi: 9 October 10am -12pm https://www.luct.org.uk/events-1/introductiontofungi

Conservation Club: 10 October, 10am -12pm. More details coming up soon at luct.org.uk/events-1

Ripon Together Green Fair: 17 October 10am -3pm - come and see us at the LUCT stall! https://www.ripontogether.com/greenfair/

Woodland Activities: 29th October. AM and PM sessions available https://www.luct.org.uk/events-1/woodland-activities

Woodland Activities: 30th October. AM and PM sessions available https://www.luct.org.uk/events-1/woodland-activities2