Soil and the vegetation growing on it are major stores of sequestered carbon. Well managed, they can absorb huge quantities of CO2. Badly managed, and they will add enormously to climate change as peat dries out, woodland and heather cover burn and fields become bio-diversity deserts.
The Hope Valley contains large areas of upland peat bog and heather moorland. The valley sides are a mixture of woodland and grassland. The valley bottoms are substantial watercourses, transport corridors and human habitat. All these ecosystems need protecting from carbon loss and managing to increase their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
Hope Valley Climate Action has active projects to increase the amount of tree cover in appropriate areas, to manage the roadside verges and transport corridors in ways which encourage biodiversity, and to help nature recover on the valley sides.
We have campaigned to eliminate the use of peat in garden and herbicides on public land and to ensure that our community voice is heard by DEFRA as they deploy the new farm subsidy scheme (ELMS).
We would love to do more but we need more people involved. If you want to get your hands dirty planting trees or surveying wildlife or if you care passionately about these issues and want to get involved in campaigning and educating, please get in touch with one of our projects or contact hughesonline@btinternet.com for more information.
Our Events
See what our sub-groups do
How to get involved
We’d love to hear from you….
- …if you have qualifications and/or experience in sustainable building or green energy generation and would like to offer your expertise to the group
- … if you have an interest in one or more of the energy issues we focus on
- … if you’d just like to come along to one of our events or meetings
Just drop us a line at hvca.energy.group@gmail.com
Our news
Groups and Projects
Bamford
A tree for every villager – contact hughesonline@btinternet.comBamford’s main project has been planting a tree for every villager. We have so far planted 400 trees, with 400 more to go! We have a Treemometer in the Anglers Rest showing progress towards our target – nearly there!
Mam Tor
A plantation of trees is being planned on private land in the Hope Valley, close to Mam Tor'. The proposed planation will have half the area (approx. 600 sq m) planted intensively ( 3 – 4 saplings per sq m) while the other half will be planted conventionally (saplings 1 -2 meters apart) with the same indigenous species. Planting is proposed to take place in the 2022 – 2023 planting season). The Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield will coordinate monitoring research on-site with postgraduate students. More details as the project plan is developed.
Hathersage Rewilding Group
We aim to enhance and protect nature and wildlife, and to increase biodiversity in our local area. Two of our actions are tree planting and improving verges/grassland. - contact Carol Collins carolwcollins61@gmail.com or Jim Miles jimjmiles@gmail.com
Wildlife gardening
Gardens can provide a home for wildlife too share ideas and visit gardens - contact Carol Collins carolwcollins61@gmail.com or Jim Miles jimjmiles@gmail.com
Thornhill Carrs
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s rewilding project near Bamford – see the video here - get involved in recording the wildlife – contact hughesonline@btinternet.com
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKwkWVsB6d
Contact us if you'd like to get involved
Our news
For Peat’s Sake
Join High Peak Build Back Better, Green New Deal UK, and For Peat’s Sake for a discussion on conservation, moorlands, and green jobs. This zoom
Organic gardening for all from Eyam Green Group
Organic gardening A simple definition of being ‘organic’ is gardening with nature. The overall approach Is sustainable and supports biodiversity. Most importantly it’s growing without
Meet Hope Valley Farmers
Hope Valley Farmers are a group of 45 farmers who share a common interest in conservation and want to pursue the benefits of joined-up thinking.
Wildlife friendly gardening
HVCA Garden Wild is a network of people interested in wildlife gardening. No formal meetings, minutes or committees! We visit each others gardens, ask questions, share knowledge and
Glimpses of heaven
Over the last few months, many of us have had more time than usual to reflect on the world around us. And frankly, it’s alarming.
Buglife Beelines project.
Buglife, The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is a British-based nature conservation charity. They are running a project called “Beelines” which identifies or proposes bee-friendly corridors that
