The charity has published a new vision for the county’s urban areas, Transforming our towns and city for people and nature – which highlights the inequality of access to nature, the plight of species under threat and people’s desire for change and calls on government, planners and politicians to take a nature first approach to planning and investment. The charity also hopes the vision will act as a rallying call to communities to take action in response to the nature and climate crises.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Chief Executive Paul Wilkinson explained why the charity had published the vision. “Our shared experience over the past two years has highlighted, like never before, that people must have access to wildlife rich greenspaces on their doorstep. Sadly, access to nature isn’t equal and many people living in urban areas have little opportunity to experience and benefit from nature close to home. In many areas the endless pressure to build yet more homes that don’t necessarily meet local need is making matters worse. Remaining greenspaces and wild habitats are disappearing and developers are doing little to restore nature.”

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust believes that the fact that many areas are looking to recover from the impacts of covid and the long term decline of the high street plus the growing appreciation of the contribution that access to nature makes to people’s health and wellbeing should act as a catalyst to finding creative ways to restore nature to our towns and cities to reverse decades of wildlife decline and secure a greener recovery for our urban landscapes.

Paul continued: “It’s time to take a stand. Wildlife, including species once common in urban areas are in decline and without a change of approach, people living in our towns and cities are likely to have less and less access to nature in the future. We want to see our towns and our city transformed from grey to green and we can all play our part. The environment must be at the heart of policy, not an afterthought. By replacing barren greenspaces with a network of habitat to support nature’s recovery we can create urban oases, bring people together and put nature into recovery at a time when natural greenspace has never been more valued or needed.”

The Trust believes that by harnessing nature-based solutions to link fragmented landscapes it is possible to reimagine the City of Nottingham and towns, from Retford & Worksop to Newark, Mansfield, Beeston and Bingham with more spaces to connect with nature that will enable wildlife and people to thrive.

The Charity is currently working alongside Wildlife Trusts from across the country and other environmental organisations to secure improvements to planning legislation to protect and restore nature and a legal right to local access to nature in the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. The vision document sets out a number of aspirations for similar changes locally including:

• a commitment from councils to protect remaining wildlife habitats and ensure that new areas are set aside for nature
• Fairer access to nature -with the adoption of minimum standards for people’s access to natural greenspaces
• 20% gain for nature - with all developments striving to deliver a 20% increase in nature - backed by the Government's Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) standard
• local authorities to plan ahead by identifying new areas where nature could be restored to help deal with climate change, benefit species and improve health and wellbeing.

The Wildlife Trust also believes that real momentum is growing within communities keen to take action for nature and to reduce the impacts of climate change and has committed to providing greater advice and support to encourage individuals and groups to act.

Paul explained: “Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is rooted in the community and supports campaigners’ efforts to protect nature on their patch. We can sense a real appetite for change and a sense of momentum and we’re committed to providing advice, support and encouragement to individuals, schools and other groups keen to take action for nature and climate in their own lives or within their community.”

The vision document highlights the efforts of groups such as Wild.NG in Nottingham, which is helping the City Council pilot ways to reduce the use of chemical weed killers on local streets; Hedgepigs in Beeston which is creating highways for hedgehogs by connecting local gardens and the Save Newark’s Greenspaces ‘Stop the Chop’ campaign which saved a group of mature trees near Newark Library from being felled against the odds.

Paul added: “Communities are no longer prepared to sit back and watch remaining wild areas and greenspaces disappear. They want to see leadership from decision makers to tackle the nature and climate crisis and want their voices to be heard. They are also increasingly willing to take action themselves and we’re committed to helping support and encourage them as part of a people powered nature recovery.”