YES Community Projects  

YES have regularly become involved in Community Projects. These often happen as the result of Community concern over an environmental issue, or a pollution incident. These projects can often be as the result of the aspirations of a Community Group. 

Go to list of YES Community Projects

Regeneration from only £1,500

Yorkshire Ecological Solutions Ltd Community Regeneration Projects Regeneration from only £1,500
What you get for your money is :-
* Community Environment Assessment. The environmental assessment would compile local wishes. The management plan would leave instructions on how to look after the development. 
* 4 days of work of 2 people ( £650 )
* 2 Days of work of JCB Digger ( £500 )
* £350 of materials
* Management Plan
* Work to commence, once the funding bid is successful, but only in the right season

We offer this work for free to understand the wishes of local people. The plan would form the basis for your group to make the applications for funding and grants The work of two people and a JCB over 3 to 4 days can be really effective. Added to this, £350 can provide sufficient materials to regenerate a wildlife area in a school grounds, develop an area of waste land at the end of a street, build a pond, or restore water quality to a stream.

Call Jean on 0113 286 6452 for more information. The initial consultation is free, and we are happy to help. More information on our work can be seen on the community pages below.

Go to List of YES Community Projects

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Click on the following highlighted titles to find many pages which describe the projects that YES have been involved with:-  

Spen Valley         Continual industrial pollution incidents led to YES being involved in assessing water quality in the River Spen. This river is probably one of the most polluted in the UK. Peoples from along the river were joined into an action group. Progress with the Authorities and Industries has been made and is ongoing.

Bradford Council undertook restoration work following a major pollution incident. The return of invertebrates to sections where invertebrates could not exist, is evidence that environmental improvements have been achieved. Without the Community pressure, it would have been most unlikely that these improvements would have been considered.  

Czech Republic        A visit to The Czech Republic was arranged through Anthony & Jana from Premise Feasibility. This too place in September 2003. Return visits have been arranged for January and Easter, to begin the setting up of a Company in The Czech Republic. 

The community approach can be applied at the National Level. The Czech Republic is steeped in history and culture. Ecological Solutions are for the people and by the people. Czech people could use environmental science techniques, to solve problems their way, at their level of costs, meeting required standards without dependency on costly Western technologies.

Northern Ireland  YES visit to Northern Ireland to install a Domestic Reedbed System

  Swillington         A Community Group wanted their stream banking cleared of rubbish. YES were successful in restoring the ecology of the stream. As a result the rubbish was cleared and the site remained fairly clear for upto 2 years following. The invertebrate life returned to the stream, as did the sticklebacks, as did the King Fisher. The King Fisher had not been seen for 20 years.

  South Wales     A number of environmentally aware individuals raised the possibility of willow coppice, as a form of income, in an area of multiple deprivation following the closure of coal mining in the region. A number of coal spoil sites were identified, the restoration and management methodology was presented in a Site Management Plan. The individuals have since made their own progress.

  Colne Valley         River water quality in The Colne was found to be virtually lifeless only 3 miles (4.8km) from it source. YES worked with community groups from four villages along the River. Carried out environmental assessments, and produced a "Community Wish List" for improvements. The Colne Valley Trust then raised funding to employ a project office for two years, to deliver this Wish List.

  Isle of Wight         Chale, on the Isle of Wight, is a small community on the edge of a cliff, which suffers from major erosion events. The Community Group were aware that their houses were in danger from falling over the cliff. They needed the confidence to undertake work, which would at best delay this natural process.

  All the surface water was collected into a central tank. The Sewage was filtered through a Reedbed. The collection tank then pumped the surface water to a stream, which then carried it 3 miles (4.8km) away from the housing. The cliff edge was eroding in steps. These steps were re-vegetated with salt resistant willow, to form a living matrix of support for the upper cliff ledges.

East Yorkshire       Communities in East Yorkshire had a collective desire to improve the water quality in their village ponds. Ducks had removed all the vegetation in the ponds, which had become duck toilets.

The aspects that worked were the Iron Age walkway, and the living willow erosion protection at the edge of one pond. One pond had floating Reedbeds as an attempt to introduce vegetation. However, the problem of the ducks remained. They were destroying every attempt to improve water quality. With the ducks being so popular, little real progress was made.

Ponds   YES have been involved in a number of pond projects.

Poland         YES have taken part in four international exchanges to Poland. These exchanges set about understanding of the society and culture in Poland. The visits also aimed to set up projects which could take place both in UK and Poland.

This work was mainly in connection with the Kirklees River of Life project. This project worked towards an International Conference in Huddersfield. YES had a key involvement in this conference.

Some work was achieved, but many aspirations remain unfulfilled. The work in Poland was with their Klub Gaja environmental group. However, little has been progressed with the ecological restoration work that YES sought to pursue.

Ashbrow Infants         Ashbrow Infant & Junior School discovered they owned a section of land, which comprised of rough ground. The Head Teacher sought to make use of this land as an educational resource.

YES, through discussions with the school's staff, and particularly the pupils, were inspired to develop a theme of environments of the world. The inspiration for the title came from a young girl, 6 years of age.

Funding has been found, and this project is seen as a Best Practice Project, the information of which is being disseminated throughout schools in the Kirklees Authority area.  

Oakwell Hall  A Reedbed was constructed to filter silts which were covering plant growth in the pond. This allowed the numbers of invertebrates to increase from 9 to 20. 

Meanwood Valley Farm  A demonstration Reedbed was built as an interactive display. This involved the use of an Archimedes screw to life water to the top reedbed unit. All the kids want to do is turn the screw, and lift the water. Still, its great fun

Meeting with David Bellamy   Just a couple of photo's of me with David Bellamy, who for me is a great inspiration

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