New partnership aims to empower local communities to protect and restore nature

A ground-breaking UK-wide initiative called Nature Neighbourhoods was unveiled today, on World Mental Health Day.

The project aims to put local, mainly urban communities at the forefront of efforts to tackle the nature and climate crises.

The Nature Neighbourhoods project will back 18 community organisations across the UK, helping them create plans to protect and revive nature in their local areas. The initiative comes in direct response to March 2023's People's Plan for Nature, which called for investment to empower communities to protect and renew local nature.

Three major UK nature charities—WWF, the RSPB, and the National Trust—are collaborating on this project as part of the Save Our Wild Isles partnership. They will receive funding support from The National Lottery Community Fund and Co-op. A total of £1.05 million will be invested in the initiative—£750,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund and £300,000 from Co-op.

The focus will be on urban communities where people often find it difficult to access nature. Rory Crawford, Project Manager for Nature Neighbourhoods, said, "Urban nature doesn't tend to be the focus of wildlife documentaries. But most of us live in urban areas, and they present the biggest opportunity for people to access and take action for nature on a day-to-day basis."

Representatives from Save Our Wild Isles echoed this sentiment. They said, "The community organisations and leaders we're partnering with are uniquely placed to bring local voices together. They'll use this platform to make decisions on how to address the nature and climate crisis at a local level, developing people-powered plans for change."

Co-op's contribution to the project includes its unique network of Member Pioneers, who are dedicated to inspiring and empowering communities. Guy Stuart, Director of Technical, Agriculture and Sustainability at Co-op, said, "With a presence in every postal area in the country, we're perfectly positioned to support directly into communities."

Mel Eaglesfield, Deputy Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, emphasised that thanks to National Lottery players, this innovative partnership is putting communities at the forefront of environmental action.

The project will offer training, financial aid, and collaboration with local authorities to the 18 local partners, mobilising their communities and leading positive change for both nature and people.

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