The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country
Encyclopedia
The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country (BBCWT) is a wildlife trust
covering Birmingham
and the Black Country
in the West Midlands
of England
. It covers five of the seven districts of the West Midlands county: Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
and others, it was formerly known as the Urban Wildlife Group, and then the Urban Wildlife Trust, the United Kingdom's
first urban Wildlife Trust. It was responsible for the first ever International Dawn Chorus Day
event, held at Moseley Bog
in 1984. In the mid-1980s it established Plants Brook
Nature Reserve in Birmingham.
The Trust was the first UK Wildlife Trust to become a member of Countdown 2010 the European initiative to halt the decline in biodiversity
by 2010.
Black Country Living Landscape is a major initiative of the Trust that aims to be the first practical application of the principles of landscape scale conservation
to an urban area.
near Minworth
and the much smaller Richmond Garden in Soho, Birmingham. The Trust also manages Moseley Bog
and has a close involvement with reserves such as Moorcroft Wood Local Nature Reserve and Hill Hook Local Nature Reserve. The Trust operates a number of environmental centres including the Centre of the Earth
and the Birmingham EcoPark
.
It is a full member of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts
, (one of 47 covering the whole United Kingdom), and was the first urban Wildlife Trust and has a membership of 5,000.
The trust carries out a wide range of activities to protest and develop biodiversity and engage with local people and various nature conservation, community and education projects. They carry out research, surveys and campaigns. Each year it co-ordinates International Dawn Chorus Day.
Their President is Professor David Bellamy OBE
, and Vice Presidents are Professor Chris Baines
and Peter Shirley MBE. The Trust is managed by a council of trustees drawn from the membership. The Trust has a full time Chief Executive, Neil Wyatt, about twenty other full, part-time and contract staff and many active volunteers. They produce a regular newsletter, which provides coverage of their activities and a range of urban wildlife issues.
The Wildlife Trusts partnership
The Wildlife Trusts is an organisation made up of 47 local Wildlife Trusts in the United Kingdom plus the Isle of Man and Alderney.The Wildlife Trusts, between them, look after around 2,300 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares...
covering Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It covers five of the seven districts of the West Midlands county: Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
History
Created in 1980, by Chris BainesChris Baines
Professor Chris Baines is one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists. He is a gardener, naturalist, television presenter and author.Baines grew up in Sheffield...
and others, it was formerly known as the Urban Wildlife Group, and then the Urban Wildlife Trust, the United Kingdom's
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
first urban Wildlife Trust. It was responsible for the first ever International Dawn Chorus Day
Dawn chorus (birds)
The dawn chorus occurs when songbirds sing at the start of a new day. In temperate countries, this is most noticeable in spring, when the birds are either defending a breeding territory or trying to attract a mate. In a given location, it is common for different species to do their dawn singing at...
event, held at Moseley Bog
Moseley Bog
Moseley Bog is a nature reserve in the Moseley area of Birmingham in England, at .It was once a secondary reservoir to feed the millpond of Sarehole Mill. Although now drained, the embankment on its eastern side remains...
in 1984. In the mid-1980s it established Plants Brook
Plants Brook
Plants Brook is a stream in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England.-Course of the stream:...
Nature Reserve in Birmingham.
The Trust was the first UK Wildlife Trust to become a member of Countdown 2010 the European initiative to halt the decline in biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
by 2010.
Black Country Living Landscape is a major initiative of the Trust that aims to be the first practical application of the principles of landscape scale conservation
Landscape scale conservation
Landscape scale conservation is a concept that has arisen, primarily in the UK since the mid-1990s, in response to both the challenges of climate change and a perceived excessive focus on site based conservation...
to an urban area.
Description
The organisation has a 40 hectare reserve at Park HallPark Hall
Park Hall is a residential area within, but near to the south-eastern edge of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. Officially, it comes under the Paddock area of the town, however it is recognised as a separate estate by most residents. It is considered that the housing area near to the local...
near Minworth
Minworth
Minworth is a village on the outskirts of Birmingham in the West Midlands area of England. It is located near Walmley, Wishaw, Warwickshire, Curdworth, Thimble End and Castle Vale....
and the much smaller Richmond Garden in Soho, Birmingham. The Trust also manages Moseley Bog
Moseley Bog
Moseley Bog is a nature reserve in the Moseley area of Birmingham in England, at .It was once a secondary reservoir to feed the millpond of Sarehole Mill. Although now drained, the embankment on its eastern side remains...
and has a close involvement with reserves such as Moorcroft Wood Local Nature Reserve and Hill Hook Local Nature Reserve. The Trust operates a number of environmental centres including the Centre of the Earth
Centre of the Earth
The Centre of the Earth is a purpose-built environmental education centre in Birmingham, England, run by the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country.-Location:...
and the Birmingham EcoPark
Birmingham EcoPark
The Birmingham EcoPark is an environmental education centre in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, England, operated by the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country. It is a wildlife gardening demonstration garden. It has displays of sustainable energy, recycling and gardening with...
.
It is a full member of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts
Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts
The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts or RSWT is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter to promote conservation and manage environmental funds...
, (one of 47 covering the whole United Kingdom), and was the first urban Wildlife Trust and has a membership of 5,000.
The trust carries out a wide range of activities to protest and develop biodiversity and engage with local people and various nature conservation, community and education projects. They carry out research, surveys and campaigns. Each year it co-ordinates International Dawn Chorus Day.
Their President is Professor David Bellamy OBE
David Bellamy
David James Bellamy OBE is a British author, broadcaster, environmental campaigner and botanist. He has lived in County Durham since 1960.-Career:...
, and Vice Presidents are Professor Chris Baines
Chris Baines
Professor Chris Baines is one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists. He is a gardener, naturalist, television presenter and author.Baines grew up in Sheffield...
and Peter Shirley MBE. The Trust is managed by a council of trustees drawn from the membership. The Trust has a full time Chief Executive, Neil Wyatt, about twenty other full, part-time and contract staff and many active volunteers. They produce a regular newsletter, which provides coverage of their activities and a range of urban wildlife issues.