Parish Nature Planning Event
On Thursday 17 November Lorton Parish Council and Cumbria Wildlife Trust hosted a Parish Nature Planning event at Yew Tree Hall. The aim of the evening was to share knowledge and information on how Parish Councils can help support nature within their parishes. Around 20 people attended with representatives from nine different parishes.
The evening was highly informative with a range of guest speakers from different organisations presenting including Nick Hall (Lake District National Park Authority), Sophie Badrick and Angela Wakefield (Cumbria County Council), Kate McGibbon (Cumbria Association of Local Councillors, CALC), Gary Waters (Cumbria Coastal Community Forum) and Tanya St. Pierre (Cumbria Wildlife Trust). A variety of topics were discussed and included ‘How to Create a Parish Wildlife Plan’, Cumbria’s ‘Local Nature Recovery Strategy’ Pilot Scheme, Biodiversity Net Gain, Cumbria Coastal Community Forum, Green Space 2 Grow Initiative and Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s ‘Planting for Pollinators’ project. Lorton Parish Council also gave an overview of Lorton Wildflower Verge Project and wildlife recording activities they are undertaking with the help of local residents, to help form the basis of a Parish Wildlife Plan.
Thanks to all the guest speakers and everyone who helped make the night such a success! This event was funded through Defra’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF) as part of ‘Planting for Pollinators’ project (delivered by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Cumbria County Council).
Further information about the different topics discussed and funding opportunities can be found below:
- Cumbria Wildlife Trust have funding available to help Parish Council’s draw up a baseline report of what flora and fauna has been recorded within a parish boundary and help set up a project through iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org) so that you can collate records going forward that are submitted within your parish boundary. If you would like to be part of this then please contact Sophie Badrick, Planting for Pollinators Community Engagement Officer Sophie.Badrick@cumbria.gov.uk before 31 January 2023
- The Parish Wildlife Map Toolkit Map can be found here: Parish Wildlife Map Toolkit (basingstoke.gov.uk) It is a great resource to guide you and your Parish Council through pulling all the information together
- Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) You can find the LNRS strategy document on the Cumbria County Council website here: Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy – Pilot Scheme | Cumbria County Council. The maps are hosted on the Cumbria Biodiversity Centre website here: CLNRN_Story_Map – Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (cbdc.org.uk). We will be updating our LNRS strategy document and maps next year. If you would like to get involved please email: lnrs@cumbria.gov.uk to subscribe to our LNRS mailing list.
- Please find Cumbria Association of Local Councils ‘Green Space 2 Grow’ support pack here. This will also be available on the CALC website members section going forwards.
- Biodiversity Net Gain Attached is the Expression of Interest form used by LDNP for the initial call for sites. This contains lots of useful information. Although the official call for sites period has finished Nick Hall, who presented on the night, has said that the LDNP would still like to speak to any Parish Council who may have potential sites.
- Cumbria Coastal Community Forest is an exciting new project aiming to introduce more trees into the landscape along the western coast of Cumbria, from Barrow in the south to Carlisle in the north. Grant funding is available from Cumbria County Council for tree planting schemes which can range in size and include different types of tree planting – from single trees or hedgerows to large-scale woodland. There is also funding available to support communities in accessing these green spaces e.g. footpaths, benches and interpretation boards. Our project partners, Cumbria Woodlands, will help you to develop a woodland creation plan and be able to support you through the application process. We are actively seeking sites to plant this winter so please get in touch with Cumbria Woodlands via their Advisory Service if you wish to propose a site: Contact | Cumbria Woodlands. You do not need to be the landowner to propose a site but we advise that you discuss with the landowner before contacting us. You can find more information about our project on the attached flyer or by visiting the below websites:
Cumbria Coastal Community Forest | Cumbria County Council
Cumbria Coastal Community Forest | Woodland Creation | Working with Partners | Cumbria Woodlands
Any other questions please email – communityforest@cumbria.gov.uk
Tanya St. Pierre, Lorton Parish Councillor
The Melbreak Communities 