Posts Tagged ‘Defra’

Funding available for trees!

Posted on 21st June 2011 by

The Forestry Commision and DEFRA have joined forces to encourage and support community groups to plant more trees in their local neighbourhoods. The Big Tree Plant funding scheme, which is being administered by Groundwork London, is worth over £4m and has been launched to support the campaign.

The funding can pay for community involvement, site surveys and expert advice as well as trees, planting materials, labour, tree care and maintenance. Groups can apply for between £500 – £25,000 – although applications over this amount may also be considered.

The funding will be available until March 2015. To find out more about the Big Tree Plant funding scheme follow this link.

Posted on 21st June 2011 by
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Green spaces – what are they worth?

Posted on 2nd June 2011 by
Tinkers Clough Woodland
Valued Tinkers Clough Woodland in Cheshire secured £43k from Community Spaces to improve access.

Not to preach to the converted – but sometimes it’s rewarding as well as eye-opening to acknowledge just how much good quality green spaces are worth to us as a nation. According to a groundbreaking new report published today this figure could be well in to the billions.

The independent report – UK National Ecosystem Assessment - will help to shape government planning policy and is the first of its kind to be undertaken at an all-encompassing scale. Some of the key findings from the report include;

- Living within a view of green space is worth up to £300 per person, per year.
- Urban outdoor spaces are worth £2.3bn per year.
- Maintaining the UK’s green spaces would deliver £30bn in health and welfare benefits each year.
- However, failing to do so would cost £20bn each year.
- 10,000 playing fields sold between 1979 and 1997.
- Only 10% of country’s allotments remain.
- England has the smallest percentage of forest cover in Europe.

More information about the report can be found on DEFRA’s website.

So, the next time your loosing heart in your project – just remember its worth – not just to your neighbourhood but to the whole country!

Posted on 2nd June 2011 by
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Your chance to shape the nature of England

Posted on 16th November 2010 by

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is looking to local communities to help shape the future of our natural environments.

They are asking for feedback and comments from community groups who want a say in what should happen to our green spaces, how we should encourage people to get involved with them as well as any ideas you might have about how to improve them.

All feedback and ideas presented to DEFRA will form part of a White Paper on the Natural Environment which is due to be published in Spring 2011.

Groups that have already delivered or are thinking about applying for a Community Spaces grant will have lots of ideas and information to share about this and could play a role in helping to shape the nature of England.

In order to share your views and to find out more please visit: http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/environment/natural/whitepaper

Deadline for comment: 31st December 2010.

Posted on 16th November 2010 by
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Have you got what it takes to be the next young Darwin?

Posted on 13th July 2010 by

Have you got some young, budding journalists in your community? Well if so, then this competition is for you!

The Young Darwin Prize is a competition to find the best nature news video produced by young people.

The competition is being run by the National History Museum, supported by Defra. They are looking for groups of up to 10 people to make a short news video about their local biodiversity project to enter into their competition.

This is a great way for children to explore your newly developed Community Spaces project and learn about the wildlife living there.

There are two entry categories, ages 7-11 years (Key Stage 2 or equivalent) and ages 11-14 years (key Stage 3 or equivalent).

The winning group out of both categories wins £500 and a visit to a local biodiversity site of special interest. The winners will also be invited to a VIP event at the Natural History Museum to go-behind the scenes and collect their prize and present their film.

The closing date for all entries is 31st August 2010. For more details about how to enter the competition, visit, http://www.biodiversityislife.net/?q=node/297.

If anyone from your Community Spaces project is entering the competition, then please let us know at, press@community-spaces.org.uk

Posted on 13th July 2010 by
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