Great Crested Newt, Stockwood Open Space, (c) Rosie Jackson
Discoveries & Stories
Find out more about what's been happening
Lots of exciting (and sometimes unexpected!) things have happened during the My Wild City project in Bristol. Explore the highlights through the videos, blogs, and stories below, including; a fluorescent find in Stockwood, a furry discovery in Lawrence Weston, and a school's mission to be more wild, as well as inspirational stories from local people taking action for nature in their patch and across the city!
My Wild City News
Celebrating The Wild CATS (Wild City Action Team)
This year, the three year long ‘My Wild City’ project came to an end. This ambitious project aimed to enhance hidden wildlife havens…
Celebrating the My Wild City Project
The My Wild City project in Bristol comes to an end but the legacy is just beginning!
With support from The National Lottery…
What is wildlife monitoring? Top tips to help you explore and record your local patch!
Did you know that every time you spot a flower, an insect, or a bird, you can contribute to valuable wildlife research and help protect…
Bristol welcomes goats to Hengrove Mounds nature reserve
We’ve welcomed our newest nature conservation recruits to local wildlife site Hengrove Mounds - goats! Over 75 local people came along…
Discovering winter birds with My Wild City
Winter is one of the most magical seasons for birds, even in the city! As part of the My Wild City project with thanks to the National…
A day with the WildCATs at Dundry Slopes
Back in July, Rebecca Nimmo, our Learning team’s Communications and Administration Officer (maternity cover), spent some time out with…
Videos
Your Stories
"The My Wild City sessions have helped me raise my awareness about nature and I have enjoyed the walks and learning about wildlife habitats and plant and animal species. It’s great to access training with AWT as it has built up my knowledge, leading me to be able to influence friends, family members, community members, and strangers, enabling me to protect, maintain and enhance the local environment.  It has also inspired me to re-connect with nature, nature is wonderful - and essential for humanity to respect and support. I wish to continue to be inspired and get more involved with taking action for nature, as nature is fantastic and so is Avon Wildlife Trust!"
- Angus
Bird Survey, Hengrove Mounds, (c) Merny Wernz
How to Identify Bees, Hawkfield Meadows, (c) Alex Dommett
Wild Cats (Wild City Action Team) Volunteers, Hedgelaying, Coombe Brook Valley (c) Ainsley Dwyer
Great Crested Newt, Stockwood Open Space, (c) Rosie Jackson
Goats, Hengrove Mounds, (c) Jade Daniels
Dyer's Greenweed, Hawkfield Meadow, (c) Alex Dommett
Water vole, Lawrence Weston Moor, (c) Dave Hodson
Common Blue Butterflies on Oxeye Daisy, Hawkfield Meadows, (c) Alex Dommett
Children Making Wildflower Seed Balls, Lawrence Weston, (c) Alex Dommett
Winter Bird Monitoring, Lawrence Weston Moor, (c) Alex Dommett
I am a bird and I sit in a Weston Moor tree
And I am on a mission to tell you what I see
I can see a lovely pond in the middle of the trees
the gentle wind blows my hair
And the clouds gently move like a wild life snail
When I breathe in I can feel the real life air
And this is the real life Weston Moor
When I look at it, it feels so, so AMAZING!"
- by Alana, Year 5
Stockwood Cubs Leaflet, Stockwood Open Space
Our Lady of The Rosary Lawrence Weston Moor Leaflet
Lawrence Weston Moor School Leaflet Competition, (c) Lucy Hellier
"Stockwood Open Space is the reason I moved to this area! I have loved seeing everyone's photos of nature in the Friends of Stockwood Open Space Facebook Group. It's giving me something to works towards as part of my health recovery."
- Kaye
How to Manage Ponds for Wildlife with John Dickson at Stockwood Open Space, (c) Alex Dommett
A Diary of Stockwood Open Space, (c) Michael Coombes
Hedgehog House Building, The Northern Slopes, (c) Alex Dommett
Creating Wilder Streets in Lawrence Weston with @Alive Activities, (c) Donna Sealey
Sketch and Stroll with Artist @BillyColours at Hengrove Mounds, (c) @MernyWernz
Lime hawk-moth, Lawrence Weston, (c) Alex Dommett
Small-blue Butterfly Procession, near Hawkfield Meadows, (c) Hannah Welsh
Nest Collective Live Music & Foraging Walk at Hengrove Mounds, (c) Lucy Hellier
Harvest Mouse Nest Survey, Lawrence Weston Moor, (c) Tania Rose Esteban
Harvest Mouse Nest Survey, Lawrence Weston Moor, (c) Tania Rose Esteban
Thanks to a half-day ‘Managing Ponds for Wildlife’ with My Wild City (for me, a follow-on from a day course last year on making a wildlife pond) my husband and I have made a wildlife pond in our garden. Before it was even filled, there were water skaters arriving. We have observed a lot of water boatmen, dragon flies, diving beetles and night visits from fox, badger, as well as swallows and martens swooping for water. We have made two hibernaculum and hope this will encourage the arrival of some amphibians as time goes on.
- 'Managing Ponds for Wildlife' attendee
How to Lead a Guided Nature Walk Training Day, The Northern Slopes, (c) Rob Carmier
Step Building with the Wild Cats & Glynn Vale Heroes, The Northern Slopes, (c) Rosie Maple
Northern Slopes, Full Moon Walk with Jo Hellier, (c) Alex Dommett
Toads, Stockwood Open Space, (c) Ken Hadlow
Coppicing Day at The Northern Slopes (c) Steph Sharkey
Female Glow-worm, Stockwood Open Space, by Nick Dolphin
Grey Patched Mining Bee, Hengrove Mounds, (c) David Fakray
Since lockdown I became really interested in butterflies and I joined the My Wild City butterfly monitoring training to set up my own transect. I went on a butterfly walk across the Northern Slopes every week, often joined by friends or locals who enjoyed looking out for them too. Butterflies are so beautiful. I really like seeing them, knowing their names is secondary for me. My motivation is about being mindful more than science, but I do like how I'm contributing to national schemes about how butterflies are faring too. On some days I've counted into the hundreds! All dependent on the weather of course!
- Clive
My Wild City at Blaise Weston Care Home, Lawrence Weston, (c) Abi Alive Activities
Making wildflower seed balls with residents at Blaise Weston Court, Lawrence Weston, (c) Abi, Alive Activities
Making wildflower seed balls, Lawrence Weston, (c) Abi, Alive Activities
Wildflower reminiscence activity, Blaise Weston Court, Lawrence Weston, (c) Abi, Alive Activities
Plotting water vole spottings in the past! Blaise Weston Court, (c) Alex Dommett
Blaise Weston Court Nature Treasures, Reminiscence with Alive Activities Gardening Group, (c) Alex Dommett
Reminiscing about Lawrence Weston Moor, with Blaise Weston Court, (c) Alex Dommett
My Wild City is...
Tooth and claw and feather and paw,
it's shade and shelter and beauty and awe.
It's buzzzz, hiss, croak and kronk,
shrrrriek, "alright mate!", BANG and honk!
It belongs to the fox, the badger, the fly,
your neighbour who watches the full moon rise high.
It belongs to the glow-worm, the starling, the toad,
the wildflowers smiling,
through the cracks of our roads.
It belongs to the locals sat beneath trees,
the toddlers, hunting, for bugs on their knees.
It belongs to the creatures we have yet to meet,
and to the earth and the fungi beneath our feet.
It's our wild city.
It makes us complete.