Wildlife experts team up with an international arts venue to introduce the outdoors to visitors
You would think visiting a sculpture park would be all about the artist and their work but that’s not necessarily so at one of the country’s leading art venues. Visitors now have chance to explore the rolling Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s 500-acre landscape in West Yorkshire and discover its wildlife.
Living in amongst the spectacular outdoor sculptures are many different animals, insects, birds and plants that have made the park their home.
Janette Robinson, YSP’s head of learning, said: ‘YSP Wild is a fun and fascinating way to find out about the different wildlife in our local countryside. We’re showing people the four different habitats at YSP (parkland, lakes, woodland and wood-pasture), the variety of animals and plants that can be found in these environments, and the endless creative activities they can inspire.
‘The Wild Weekend encompasses all of this in two days and is a great chance to see the kind of Wild things that will be going on at the park over the coming months.’
YSP are working closely with the RSPB and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to offer entertaining and educational events for YSP Wild. Jo Keene, senior people engagement officer with the RSPB, said: ‘We have worked with YSP for a number of years now, so it’s great to be able to continue and expand this through YSP Wild. The park has an abundance of wildlife living within it, including many well-loved species like kingfishers, thrushes and frogs. This makes it a wonderful place to find out more about the wildlife that we share our landscape with.’
The launch of YSP Wild complements extensive restoration and enhancement work to the park’s historic landscape – including 85 acres of woodland nature reserve around two 65-acre designed lakes – which began in 2009. The projects will ensure that these special areas, and the wildlife that live within them, are preserved for future generations, giving visitors the chance to explore the ecology and nature of the park.
Linda Gomila, membership officer for West Yorkshire at The Co-operative, which is sponsoring YSP Wild, added: ‘ It’s a great way to engage in varied activities and learn more about the wonderful wildlife, flora and fauna, which is right on your doorstep at YSP.’
Families visiting the park on March 1st and 2nd can experience a Wild Weekend, packed with exciting activities such as a Wild tour, mini beast hunt, craft sessions and two new bird and bug inspired exhibitions including Asha Munn: Fly Away Home and Jordan McKenzie: Carl An(t)dre + LeWitt Lean. n
For more information about YSP Wild visit ysp.co.uk/wild
About Yorkshire Sculpture Park
The sculpture park is an independent art gallery, accredited museum and registered charity supported by the Arts Council England, Wakefield Council, The Henry Moore Foundation and Sakurako and William Fisher.
It’s Historic Landscape Management Plan commissioned in 2009, sets out a 10-year programme to restore the 500-acre Bretton Estate in which YSP stands. Major work has restored and enhanced areas never accessible to the public before and the historic lakes and woodland opened to visitors in summer 2011.
