Ryton Wood Kate Sugden
Dunsmore Living Landscape
Welcome to Dunsmore Living Landscape: a precious slice of countryside rich in wildlife and accessible to all. From the outskirts of Coventry and Leamington Spa over to Rugby, discover a wooded heartland bursting with life, linked by a network of hedgerows and meadows. Get up close to nature, immerse yourself in the past and find your own connection to the landscape.
Our landscape partnership was established in 2005, including a variety of organisations such as local councils, groups, charities and statutory bodies and led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, In 2024, the area was designated as the Dunsmore Living Landscape Nature Improvement Area (NIA).
Our vision is to create a ‘landscape rich in wildlife and accessible to all’ that has at its centre the most important cluster of ancient woods in Warwickshire, including Ryton, Wappenbury and Bubbenhall Woods.
Since 2017, the Dunsmore Living Landscape scheme, a Trust-led project has been working to restore, enhance and create important wildlife habitats in the areas lying between east Coventry, Rugby and north Leamington and reconnect people with these special places.
We’ve restored 24km of hedgerows, released 77 dormice as part of a 10 year programme, commissioned sculptures including a Straight-tusked elephant and calf, revamped the Discovery Centre at Coombe Abbey Park, installed new interpretation boards, improved footpaths and undertaken restoration work at the Lime Avenue and 29th Division Monument on the A45. We’ve run heritage skills training, wildlife identification training, family days, walks and talks and a woodland open day. And there’s still more to come!
The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) awarded over £1 million to the Dunsmore Living Landscape scheme between 2107 and 2022. We would like to thank National Lottery players, our key partners and stakeholders, local landowners and communities for their enthusiastic support and contributions.
Through funding National Highways Network for Nature Fund between 2022-2025 we continued to improve the area for wildlife, creating and enhancing habitats.
We have been successful in securing funding from Severn Trent Communities Fund to provide opportunities for local residents to learn about and help look after Diamond Jubilee Wood Country Park on the outskirts of Rugby between 2025 and 2026.
To find out more, book on training courses and events, get involved as a partner or volunteer with us visit our website.
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The partnership was absolutely thrilled with the success of our HLF funding application. Its been a tremendous boost for wildlife and people in this special area of ancient woodlands. This grant has brought new training opportunities to local people and enabled us to deliver a wide range of activities involving many people.Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
