Enhancing biodiversity and protect our environment

The Council is focussed on taking action to improve the natural environment and support wildlife, alongside its ambitions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to providing a habitat for wildlife, the natural environment also provides wide ranging benefits for humans too such as absorbing and filtering pollutants, storing carbon, providing food and supporting lots of recreational opportunities which helps our physical and mental wellbeing. 

Management of our countryside sites to ensure wildlife is protected, whilst also enabling access for the public to enjoy these green spaces. 

Here are some actions the Council is taking to protect the environment and support wildlife:

• Delivering the Woodland and Biodiversity Project which aims to create increase access to nature, create new habitats and protect the environment.
• Offering free trees and shrubs to residents, community groups and schools as part of the ‘Trees for Years’ campaign.
• Banning the use of glyphosate on Council green spaces. Glyphosate is a chemical used to kill weeds but can also cause harm to other wildlife and humans. The Council is exploring alternative methods to control weeds such as hand weeding and using potato starch based sprays.
• Reducing the mowing of Council green spaces, to help rewild areas and encourage the growth of grasses and wildflowers which can support insects and pollinators.
• Management of our countryside sites to ensure wildlife is protect, whilst also enabling access for the public to enjoy these green spaces

This project has three key areas in which it aims to deliver value; For our communities, for our wildlife, for our environment. The project is very keen to involve and engage the community with the work being carried out, from recruiting volunteer tree planters and ‘tree guardians’ to look after the planted trees, to engaging with schools to help design signage to communicate the Council’s approach to reducing mowing as a way to support biodiversity.

Further information is available on the Woodland and Biodiversity Project webpage.
Volunteers taking part in tree planting at Kings Meadow