Our work outdoors at Clumber Park

With more than 3,800 acres of woodland, heath and parkland, Clumber Park’s natural beauty is why it is one of the National Trust’s most visited places. Carved from Sherwood Forest, Clumber Park is an important example of a designed landscape and is one of only 146 Grade I listed parks in Britain.

Conservation is at the heart of what we do here, be it restoring historic landscapes, protecting rare species, or preserving vital habitats. We are committed to ensuring that Clumber Park remains a place of natural beauty for everyone to enjoy.

As a visitor you also play an important role in helping to protect the park. By following our guidelines and respecting the natural surroundings, you are helping to ensure that Clumber Park continues to be a vibrant and protected environment for future generations.

Protecting the park from fire

BBQs, stoves and campfires are not permitted anywhere on the estate. Just a single stray spark can easily get out of control, damaging landscapes and harming wildlife. Please help us to keep Clumber Park safe by bringing a picnic, or by visiting one of our many food outlets.

Protecting nesting birds

Nesting bird season runs from February to August. Please support us in protecting birds by keeping dogs on leads when asked to, particularly in the Pleasure Grounds.

Sadly, in recent years we’ve experienced an increase in dog attacks on our waterfowl and their young which can be distressing for the wildlife, for visitors and for our team.

Ground nesting birds, unlike most birds, build nests and raise their young on the ground around woodland edges and in open heathland areas. It is important that visitors avoid startling birds causing them to flee their nests and leave eggs and chicks exposed to predators. Visitors can help protect ground nesting birds by staying on footpaths and keeping dogs under control.

Protecting Lime Tree Avenue

Lime Tree Avenue is one of Clumber’s most iconic features, providing visitors with a spectacular welcome and a glimpse of the estate’s grand past. Planted in 1838 by the 4^th Duke of Newcastle, it is the longest double avenue in Europe with 1,296 trees stretching three miles.

The lime trees, however, are under threat. Years of soil compaction from cars have weakened the trees leaving them prone to disease. 20 trees have been lost in recent years and 40% are currently at risk.

Wooden pegs have now been installed to discourage parking along the avenue. Visitors can support our efforts by using the designated parking areas in the park.

Car parking

We are currently undertaking a large-scale car parking project to introduce a new 1000+ space hardstanding car park, as well as 3 peripheral car parks which will allow visitors to explore the wider estate and park away from the main visitor facilities if preferred. More details will follow as the project progresses.

Farming at Clumber Park

The Pringle family have been working the land for generations having arrived at Hardwick Grange farm in 1938. Since then, the land has been used for arable and pasture farming and in the 1950s was host to a dairy farm.

For many years, the National Trust has worked closely with the family, supported by Natural England, to convert 190 hectares of arable farmland to woodland pasture using a variety of land management techniques. The change to wood pasture has been done in the interest of sustainability and to increase the benefits to wildlife.

Conservation grazing

Grazing animals have been used to shape the landscape of Clumber Park for hundreds of years.

Grazing for conservation helps us to maintain the mosaic of habitats needed by a variety of species. The livestock often prefer to eat the dominant plant species, leaving space for a variety of other species to become established and leading to a wider diversity of plants and wildlife. Ground disturbance provides new habitats for warmth-loving reptiles and invertebrates and creates safe spots for new seedlings to flourish.

Grazing also opens views across the landscape and helps keep paths clear of encroaching vegetation. If we didn’t have grazing on Clumber all this would need to be done mechanically with tractors and hand-operated machinery.

Grazing takes place on 20% of Clumber Park’s 3,800 acres. Grazing areas are clearly signposted but please be aware if you are walking with dogs to ensure they are on a lead.

Longhorn cattle grazing in a field at Clumber Park — Longhorn cattle grazing on the heathland of Clumber Park | © Tammy Herd

Countryside Stewardship

Clumber Park is proud to be part of the Countryside Stewardship scheme, a government backed initiative funding and supporting the restoration of wildlife habitats to protect nature.

Here at Clumber, we have a diverse range of habitats including wood pasture, heathland, broadleaf woodland, coniferous woodland, wetland, lake and acid grassland.

As visitors explore Clumber Park you will see firsthand how careful land management supports biodiversity, restores habitats, and preserves the natural beauty of the park.

The East Midlands Environmental Study

Results from the 2024 East Midlands Environmental Study uncovered that the heathland of Clumber is home to 1,689 individual vertebrates across 524 different species. It revealed that the heathlands are in good shape and is teaching us valuable lessons in how to maintain the rich biodiversity that makes this landscape so special.

Heathland is one of the world’s most threatened habitats, and lowland heath has now become even more rare than rainforest.

To keep this diversity alive, we need a mix of habitats in the area. This includes patches of trees and shrubs like gorse birch and broom, alongside open areas of heather and grass. By having a mix of young, mature and older plants we can create a healthy and balanced home for the species found here.

Diamond Backed Spider

Clumber Park is currently the only known site in the whole of Britain that has a population of the Diamond-backed Spider. It was presumed extinct for more than half a century until two National Trust volunteers discovered the 7mm spider while carrying out an ecological survey on heathland in 2017.

Thanks now to funding from the Natural England Nature Recovery Programme, the National Trust is working in partnership with the British Arachnological Society to carry out vital research to ensure the continued survival of this threatened species.

Read the full article here.

Common Blue butterfly enjoying the heather | © Harry Davies

What are the Rangers up to this summer?

Habitat condition assessments
During the summer the team are busy carrying out survey work. With most of the landscape work happening in the winter, the results can be seen during the summer, making it an ideal time for habitat condition assessments. The park is split into 3 zones, and assessments are done on rotation covering a third of the park each year. The information gathered is used for future planning, for our Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) assessment, and feeds into the national monitoring programme.

Grass cutting
This is a huge job during the summer months with cutting the verges along Lime Tree Avenue and woodland track mowing requiring big machinery. The team will also be strimming the areas that can't be mowed. We are currently swapping the fleet of petrol strimmers for battery powered equipment to reduce our carbon emissions.

Over recent years, we’ve significantly reduced the areas we mow to encourage the growth of wildflowers and support vital pollinators like bees, butterflies and other insects. This shift not only benefits biodiversity but also helps reduce fuel use and lower our carbon footprint.

Invasive species control
At Clumber Park, we manage invasive species like Rhododendron, Himalayan balsam and Ragwort to protect our native ecosystems. These plants can spread quickly, outcompeting native species and threatening biodiversity. Through careful control methods, such as cutting, pulling, and monitoring, we work to restore natural habitats and ensure the park’s wildlife can thrive.