The Really Wild Lockleaze team is really proud to announce that we have new funding to support residents making space for nature, from Bristol City Council’s Nature Together Project.
This reflects the incredible hard work Lockleaze residents have put in over the last 3 years of the project to make it such a success. Together, we planted 1400 trees, created vast areas of wildflower meadows, and even won a regional award! We’ve heard from lots of people how much the project has meant to them: “Really Wild Lockleaze made me feel more connected and part of a neighbourhood, which I haven’t felt before.“; “I have made new friends, found a passion for gardening and feel a part of this community.”
We will be receiving £100k over 2 years, to build and expand on Really Wild Lockleaze’s work so far. We will continue to work on our existing wilding greenspaces, but add in at least 6 more over the two years. We will explore improving our green railway corridor for wildlife and people alike, including supporting our resident group “Let the Brook Breathe” who want to improve Horfield Brook for people and wildlife.
Melissa Blackburn, Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust’s CEO said “Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust are delighted to be chosen for the Nature Together project and we’re excited to build on our Really Wild Lockleaze pilot project, rewilding our local greens, streets, vacant land and waterways for nature. We hope that Lockleaze can be a site of inspiration for urban nature recovery and we can’t wait to get working with the other successful teams, Bristol City Council and the wider Nature Together partnership”.
David, a Lockleaze resident who has been involved says “Really Wild Lockleaze is a fantastic project. The work they do is a great example of how to empower communities and bring them together in providing places for nature and ongoing stewardship of the spaces around them. The news that the the project has continued funding is brilliant as our street looks to come together to improve our green space for wildlife and support our work in restoring Horfield Brook”.
Nature Together is a partnership effort involving Avon Wildlife Trust, Bristol City Council, Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership and Your Park Bristol and Bath. Part of the wider funding will support a new Greening Permit scheme giving communities more freedom to grow plants in council owned parks and green spaces. The project will also complete a series of green space quality and access audits helping us all learn more about what works and how best to improve nature in the future.
This programme is part of the national Nature Towns and Cities initiative which aims to make sure millions more people can enjoy nature close to home. For Bristol this is another step toward achieving Nature City accreditation and unlocking even more investment for our parks and green and blue spaces.
