Home / Environment / Nottingham Cemeteries: Nature vs. Access Row
Nottingham Cemeteries: Nature vs. Access Row
19 Feb
Summary
- Conservationists decry extensive clearance in Nottingham burial grounds.
- Council cites safety risks and access issues for vegetation removal.
- Badger setts were identified; work was halted and protected.
Concerns have been raised by a conservation group regarding the extensive clearing of trees and vegetation from two Nottingham burial grounds: General Cemetery and Rock Cemetery. The group argues the work poses significant risks to biodiversity and habitats, with one co-founder describing it as "catastrophic ecological vandalism."
The city council, however, states the overgrowth created safety hazards and impeded their legal duties, preventing essential memorial safety inspections and restricting family access to burial plots. The authority emphasized that the clearance was vital for reopening pathways and addressing dangerous trees.
Works were temporarily halted at General Cemetery upon the identification of badger setts, with the council confirming its commitment to legal protections for badgers. The authority plans to develop updated biodiversity surveys and management plans to balance conservation with safe public access.
