A new nature trail has opened at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve in Houghton-le-Spring, created with help from secondary school pupils in Sunderland. The project was led by Durham Wildlife Trust and Newcastle University and opened in time for the summer holidays.
Students wrote and illustrated information panels for the trail, including species descriptions and mindful guidance for visitors. They also created watercolour artworks that form the final interpretation panels displayed on site.
Learning and career exploration
The project aimed to show the wellbeing benefits of time spent in nature while providing young people with opportunities to explore future career paths. Students spent time both at the nature reserve and at Newcastle University, learning about the different habitats on site and about wildlife research.
Hidden gem in the landscape
John Hayton, educational lead at Durham Wildlife Trust, said the panels created by the students encourage visitors to slow down, listen and "really take in the nature on their doorstep". He described Rainton Meadows as "a hidden gem in the heart of an industrial landscape" where people may not realise "just how much life is buzzing, singing and blooming around them".
Project lead Lauren Aspery said the students "thrived throughout this project, absorbing all of the knowledge and advice shared with them".