Community month of action to reconnect people with nature

Thousands of people across the West Midlands will get the chance to roll up their sleeves and reconnect with nature as a new campaign gets under way.

Thirteen community groups have been awarded a share of £30,000 to put on a packed programme of free events throughout March, helping even more people discover and improve the green spaces on their doorstep.

The Nature Call to Action Campaign is the latest initiative in a plan launched last year by Mayor Richard Parker to protect and enhance nature while unlocking benefits to the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of communities and businesses.

A month of hands-on activities will include restoring wildlife habitats, planting trees and opening up hidden urban green spaces for more people to enjoy.

The full list of events is on the WMCA website.

The Mayor said: “There are some brilliant things happening as part of our Nature Call to Action campaign, from building bird boxes and bug hotels in Coventry, to restoring a freshwater pond on a housing estate in Dudley. There’s also tree planting in Warley Woods, and fun outdoor activities for children and young people in Solihull and Birmingham. 

“Nature can feel far away for many people living in built-up areas, but it’s often closer than you think. This is a chance to step outside, get some fresh air, meet other people, and enjoy green spaces right on your doorstep – places you might not even realise are there.”

The full list of projects funded by the Nature Call to Action campaign are:

• Birmingham Settlement
• Open House Community, Birmingham
• Groundwork West Midlands, Coventry
• Hawbush Community Gardens, Dudley
• Aspire4U CIC, Dudley
• Warley Woods Community Trust, Sandwell
• Ideal for All, Sandwell
• Ashley Community & Housing Ltd (ACH), Solihull
• Meriden Adventure Playground Association, Solihull
• Lifegate Outreach Centre, Walsall
• United Support Group CIC, Walsall
• Acts of Random Caring CIC / Gatis Community Space, Wolverhampton
• Severn Rivers Trust

Jyan Dutton, community and environment project officer for The People’s Patch in Coventry, run by Groundwork West Midlands, said: "We're pleased to be partnering with the John White Community Centre to empower community members to enhance their local green spaces within Willenhall and Binley.

“Our funding enables us to improve access to local green space for both people and nature, by creating a new community orchard at The People’s Patch and enhancing the food growing space for users of the John White Community Centre. We'll be supporting more than 50 community members to get involved across our nine events, allowing them to take ownership of the spaces they create, and directly engage with nature.”

Toyin Oshaniwa, community associate for Lifegate Outreach Centre in Walsall, said: “Our charity was set up to drive community-based net-zero action with the goals of creating awareness, educating and facilitating the community to be nature champions. The nature fund from the WMCA will support our horticulture training and composting activities and our Anti-Plastic Soil Community Campaign Day clean up along Green Lane and Green Lane Park with the aim to address the devastating impact of plastic on nature and natural ecosystem. We expect around 50 local people to join these events.”

Douglas Barber, conservation and wildlife engagement manager at Warley Woods Community Trust in Smethwick, said: "Our Roots and Shoots project will bring members of our community together, while helping us move closer to establishing a thriving, traditionally managed woodland abundant with wildlife.

"Thanks to this funding, we have been able to introduce hazel trees, a species currently scarce in our woodland, along with a diverse mix of native woodland plants that are essential for supporting early pollinators, something our woods has been depleted off for far too long.

"As our hazel coppice matures, it will be harvested on a sustainable cycle, providing natural materials for conservation work such as hedgelaying. That's a true win-win for nature and the local environment."

Since the Mayor launched the West Midlands Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) last year, communities across the region have been supported with almost £50,000 to take their own action to protect nature and improve air quality, helping to support residents’ health.

This funding has been delivered through the Nature Call to Action Campaign, which supports LNRS priorities, alongside the Clean Air Small Sparks Fund and the Community Environment Network’s Small Sparks Fund.

The LNRS includes 62 actions that will give green spaces, waterways and wildlife across the West Midlands their biggest helping hand to survive and thrive.

It was developed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in partnership with local councils and environmental organisations, community groups, businesses, schools and colleges, universities, landowners, farmers and developers, so everyone can get involved.

The WMCA’s Community Environment Network connects grassroots groups working to protect and improve the environment so they can share ideas, maximise their impact, and inspire more people to get involved.

The network currently has almost 300 members – groups can find out how at join at www.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/environment-energy.