December 17, 2025

Wildlife Ways: New Funding to Help Communities and Nature Thrive Along the Ouse Burn

We are pleased to be supporting a new three-year project that aims to transform how people connect with nature along the Ouse Burn Way.

Led by the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), Wildlife Ways is a community-led initiative designed to protect and enhance wildlife while helping local people care for, enjoy and take pride in this important urban green corridor in Newcastle.

At the heart of Wildlife Ways is a simple idea: when communities are supported to take action for nature, both people and wildlife thrive. The project will boost biodiversity, improve local green spaces and empower residents, community groups and businesses to make a real difference along the Ouse Burn. From practical habitat improvements to shared learning and discovery, Wildlife Ways puts local people at the centre of caring for their environment.

Thanks to funding from the Reece Foundation as part of the Ouse Burn Way vision, the next phase of the project includes the appointment of a new Ouse Burn Ecologist. This will be a highly visible, “out and about” role, working directly with communities to support practical action on the ground. The Ecologist will help connect people and nature by offering ecological advice, coordinating surveys and supporting improvements to valued local spaces along the Ouse Burn Way.

Anne Reece, Chair of the Ouse Burn Way Project Board and the Reece Foundation, said: “The Ouse Burn Way is such a special part of our local environment, and I’m very pleased we can support its future by funding an Ouse Burn Ecologist. This important role will engage communities, protect wildlife and help nature thrive along this vital corridor.”

The Ouse Burn Ecologist will work alongside NHSN’s Urban Naturalist, Ellie Davison, a role also supported by the Reece Foundation. Together, they will nurture local enthusiasm for nature by sharing knowledge, encouraging participation and helping communities take meaningful action.

Ellie Davison said: “This exciting project puts communities at the heart of caring for the Ouse Burn. It’s about shared action, local pride, and creating lasting benefits for people and wildlife for years to come.”

Over the course of the project, communities will help create a network of Wildlife Ways branching off the Ouse Burn Way, improving routes and spaces for both people and wildlife.

These community-led enhancements will include:

• Tree and bulb planting
• Wildflower meadows and wildlife gardens
• Pollinator habitats
• Hedgehog and bat boxes
• Litter picking and habitat care

Together, these actions will make neighbourhood spaces greener, healthier and more welcoming for nature.

A strong focus on community-led ecological surveying will enable local people to record wildlife, habitats, litter and invasive species using accessible digital tools. The data collected will be visualised and shared, helping to inform land management decisions and contributing to regional and national environmental databases.

This approach will build understanding of key species and habitats along the Ouse Burn, celebrate successes and highlight where further action is needed.

Wildlife Ways will also bring people together through a lively programme of events and storytelling. Guided walks, discovery days and hands-on activities will encourage more people to notice the nature on their doorstep and feel confident taking action to help it thrive.

By the end of the three-year project, Wildlife Ways will have:

• Engaged dozens of community groups and local businesses
• Supported hundreds of volunteers
• Improved around 30 places and spaces along the Ouse Burn Way

Beyond visible environmental improvements, the project will support wellbeing, increase physical activity and strengthen connections between people and nature.

Most importantly, Wildlife Ways will leave a lasting legacy. Communities will be better equipped to care for their local environments, valuable environmental data will continue to shape future decisions, and momentum will grow to support the long-term protection and enhancement of the Ouse Burn Way.

To find out more about Wildlife Ways, please contact Ellie Davison, Urban Naturalist, at UrbanNaturalist@newcastle.ac.uk

The Ouse Burn Way is a seven-mile urban wildlife corridor from the mouth of the Ouseburn to Weetslade Country Park. Its vision goes beyond wildlife, improving water quality, enhancing wellbeing, and creating spaces for communities to connect with nature. The Reece Foundation’s £1 million Ouse Burn Way fund supports local projects that make this vision a reality.