Bringing nature into Cornish towns: Making Space for Nature

Research overview:

Green infrastructure in urban areas such as green spaces and road verges can bring benefits such as reduced heat in summer, reduced flooding, reduced air pollution and benefits wildlife as well as people’s mental and physical health.

Cornwall Council and researchers at the ESI have been working closely on the Green Infrastructure for Growth project and now the Making Space for Nature project (Green Infrastructure for Growth 2), both part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, with match funding from Cornwall Council and the University of Exeter.

The projects aim to bring more wildlife to the ‘green deserts’ of small urban public open spaces at the same time as improving them for local communities. The University of Exeter’s role is to monitor the impacts of changes on biodiversity and people.

Key objectives:

Working in urban public open spaces including amenity areas, sports fields, closed churchyards and cemeteries, and road verges, the project goals are to –

• Increase biodiversity and wildlife value
• Enhance water quality and a more flood resilient landscape 
• Enhance ecosystem services provided by sites including climate mitigation such as carbon storage, sustainable drainage via planting and soil improvement, and air pollution mitigation.
• Improve public access and promote increased community enjoyment of nature
• Deliver community engagement with health and wellbeing benefits
• Embed environmental sustainability and equality and diversity principles into all project processes.
• Provide value for money during project delivery and long-term site aftercare.

Impacts:

So far 40 hectares of urban green space have been improved for both biodiversity and people – urban wildflower patches and pollinator friendly shrubs have been added to provide colour and interest for people, as well as increasing the resources available for bees and other pollinators. Existing habitats such as hedges and scattered trees have been improved to increase the size and connectivity of wooded habitats.

People have been catered for by adding benches, paths and natural features for people and especially children to engage with. Local communities have been involved from the start, in understanding the planned interventions and then invited to participate in spruce up days and bulb planting.

In addition the University of Exeter received funding to run the Growing communities through nature project (link) to run alongside Making Space for Nature and understand how we could deepen community engagement with the objectives of Making Space for Nature.