Councils’ support for ‘Wilder Communities’

05/11/24

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have joined forces with Suffolk Wildlife Trust, alongside neighbouring councils, to help local communities to protect and restore nature as part of new partnership initiative.

The Wilder Communities Partnership has received essential funding of £373,356 to be distributed across the next three years from The Suffolk Public Sector Leaders Group, which includes both Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.

This support ensures that the programme can continue offering expert guidance and training to communities across Suffolk, allowing local groups to take proactive steps in nature conservation.

Christine Luxton, CEO, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, said:

“We are thrilled to launch the Wilder Communities Partnership with the support of the Suffolk Public Sector Leaders Group. This partnership allows us to expand our reach and deepen our impact, ensuring that more communities have the knowledge and support they need to take meaningful action for nature. Together, we can create a thriving, resilient Suffolk where wildlife and people coexist in harmony.”

Through the provision of expert advisory visits and tailored training courses, the Wilder Communities Partnership will support local groups in creating habitats that benefit diverse species. Whether it’s providing guidance on habitat management or offering training sessions on species conservation, Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s approach is centred on building long-lasting relationships with communities and establishing a sense of shared ownership over local nature recovery projects.

This support has already led to the establishment of numerous community-led projects in parks, allotments, churchyards, and other shared spaces across Suffolk. These initiatives have created valuable habitats for iconic species such as swifts, water voles, hedgehogs, and the stag beetle, while also preserving Suffolk’s species-rich ancient grasslands.

It is hoped that even more groups will now be empowered to take action, ensuring a thriving interconnected landscape across the county’s rural and urban areas, leading – in turn - to greater resilience to a changing climate, supporting our farming economy, and offering communities the well-documented health and wellbeing benefits of access to nature.