GREEN spaces, waterways and wildlife across the West Midlands will get a helping hand to survive and thrive under new plans.
The West Midlands Local Nature Recovery Strategy outlines 62 actions that will protect and enhance nature while also unlocking benefits to the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of communities and businesses.
They include restoring wildlife habitats, improving the region’s rivers and iconic canals, planting more trees, and opening more urban green spaces for people to enjoy.
These measures are said to boost biodiversity, improve quality of life for the region’s residents, help adapt to climate change, and create green jobs.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has developed the strategy in partnership with local councils and environmental organisations, community groups, businesses, schools and colleges, universities, landowners, farmers and developers.
West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker, said: “Our region has one of the country’s most distinctive landscapes, with a unique mosaic of industrial heritage, iconic canals, vibrant urban centres, parks, rivers, nature reserves and millions of trees.
“We must treasure all of our natural assets because they have the power to drive a more prosperous, healthier, and more attractive West Midlands. This strategy will help ensure our natural spaces survive and thrive for generations to come.”
The Mayor launched the strategy during a visit to a restoration project on a section of the River Rea on the edge of Birmingham city centre.
The strategy highlights several other significant nature and climate projects that could be accelerated if partners work together.
These include improvements along the River Cole through Solihull in the Tame Valley Wetlands Nature Improvement Area and to tackle green deprivation, strengthen the Coventry’s climate resilience and create training opportunities and apprenticeships through Coventry Green for All.
The West Midlands Nature Investment Hub will go live next year to support the Mayor’s plan to pour up to £100million of private and public sector funding into hundreds of environmental projects across the region.
The WMCA has already provided £1.6million to support more than 50 community led environment projects.
Collectively, these have improved access to green space for more than 500,000 residents, restored 245,000 square metres of wildlife habitats (an area the size of 35 football pitches), and created 260 jobs and opportunities for local people to learn green skills.
Gina Rowe, landscape recovery development manager for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Warwickshire Wildlife Trust looks forward to continued partnership working with the combined authority as the Local Nature Recovery Strategy moves into delivery, with particular interest in the cross-boundary links between Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry across the Local Nature Partnership area.”
