The Borough of North Warwickshire is set to get greener thanks to funding from Warwickshire County Council’s Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund.
The £1m Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund is allocated by Warwickshire County Council and supports a wide range of small, community-powered initiatives across Warwickshire in addressing the climate change emergency.
The £24,956 in funding will allow Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to deliver its #TeamWilder in North Warwickshire project, which will see it work with three community groups in the Borough to make significant improvements to three sites:
- Ansley Common allotments;
- Shustoke recreation ground; and
- WW1 Sport Field at Piccadilly.
The Trust will support the three groups to recruit and organise their local communities to take part in a range of activities that will help mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce their impacts on the local environment and wider climate.
Activities that will be supported by the project are:
- A wide range of planting activity including both trees and wildflower meadows;
- Bioblitzes to monitor increases in biodiversity that are linked to planting activity; and
- Climate change and sustainability workshops.
The first of this work will begin over the February Half Term at the following locations:
- Tuesday 21 February – WW1 Sport Field, Perryman Drive, Piccadilly, B78 2ER where 25 new trees will be planted; and
- Friday 24 February – Shustoke Recreation Ground, Wilkinson Way, Shustoke, Coleshill, B46 2BJ where 25 new trees will be planted.
These planting events are open to anyone who wants to help to plant the trees. Volunteers are welcome from 10am and are encouraged to wrap up warm, bring along snacks and drinks, and be ready to get dirty! An expert on trees and ecology from the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will be on hand and all equipment needed will be provided for the event.
In addition to learning more about planting trees, everyone will also have the opportunity to make a bird feed to take home with them to increase the biodiversity in their own gardens.
Amanda Evans, Team Wilder Director from the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We are delighted to be working with the three community groups in North Warwickshire to help them deliver important work that will support natures recovery and enable more people to enjoy green spaces on their doorsteps. We are looking forward to supporting the groups to reach many more people in their communities, enabling them to take action for nature and to play a role in combating climate change.”
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture, said: “Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s #TeamWilder in North Warwickshire project is a fantastic example of the Community power within the County and something that we were very happy to support through the Green Shoots Fund.. The work that they will do with these community groups will enable and empower them to deliver their own climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in the future.
“Quite often we see trees become a casualty of new developments, which is why tree planting projects such as this one on Shustoke Recreation Ground are so important. The impact trees have on our environment and the climate cannot be understated, which only highlights further the need to protect trees and plant new ones when the opportunity arises.
“At Warwickshire County Council we are committed to planting new trees throughout the county. The planting of the 25 new trees in Shustoke will greatly enhance the character of the Recreation Ground and educate the local community about our fight against the climate emergency as we strive, together, to create a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.”
More information about #TeamWilder from the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is available online: https://www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/teamwilder
A full list of projects that will receive Green Shoots Community Climate Change funding can be found here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/regeneration-projects/green-shoots-community-climate-change-fund-2022/5
For more information about the Fund, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/greenshootsfund
Find out more about Warwickshire County Council’s tree-planting ambitions and new tree nursery here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/3587/20-000-acorns-in-the-ground-as-warwickshire-s-tree-nursery-takes-root
For more information about how Warwickshire is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/
Get the latest news about how Warwickshire County Council and partners are facing the challenge of the climate emergency and how you can get involved: http://eepurl.com/hrk-zf