AN ENVIRONMENTAL project created by Solihull Council has won a prestigious national conservation award.
The three-year long Habitat and Nature Improvements Project which involved 24 separate projects across the borough came out on top at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) awards in the Best Practice – Large-Scale Nature Conservation category.
The project, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, saw woodland, grassland, wetland and water quality improvements across 24 individual habitats within the urban areas of Solihull from 2017 to 2020.
The project was conceived, developed and delivered by Solihull Council’s Conservation of the Historic Environment, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design and Ecology Team (CLAUDE).
It enhanced over 100 hectares of green space working with the Environment Agency and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the award recognised the importance of this partnership.
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, cabinet member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing, said: “I am proud that our team has been recognised with this prestigious award for the huge amount of conservation work that they carried out through this forward thinking environmental project.
“This was a lengthy programme which has significantly improved and enhanced the borough’s natural environment benefitting wildlife, helping to boost nature recovery and combatting the effects of climate change. It has also made Solihull an even more beautiful place to live in and visit.
“I would like to thank everyone in the team for their commitment to sustainability, in particular Jenni and Roy – and our friends in the Environment Agency and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust – who worked so hard to develop and deliver this project.”
