Source: City of Plymouth
We’re reflecting on a fabulous Summer of Nature.
From the end of July to the beginning of September, we delivered over 50 events alongside many different communities and partner organisations and engaged with over 1,000 people.
We ran youth projects; we played Minecraft; we planted trees; we went swimming; we met the Poole Farm animals and all the while, we asked you how you felt about nature in Plymouth.
We had an incredible response and nearly 500 of you gave your views on the places you love and how they should be cared for in the future.
Below, we’ve drawn out some of the key themes and provided a response to your suggestions.
You said… you wanted us to plant more trees
Of course we will.
Did you know that in the last three years, we have planted over 17,204 trees across 135 different sites as part of our involvement in the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest? That’s an area equivalent to 85 football pitches! And it is something that we are proud of, with our team winning a national local government award for their efforts on this.
Each year we make sure that we plant the right tree in the right place by careful consideration of the location including talking with local people about the plans. We also know about the challenges a changing climate will bring and the need to diversify the types of trees in the city and so we consider the tree species in this.
We plant whips – young and slender trees, often just a few feet tall at the time of planting, maidens, which are smaller, usually three to five foot tall and standards, large trees that at the time of planting is already six to ten feet tall.
This autumn we’ll be announcing our plans for the tree planting season ahead, with plenty of chances to get involved in planting and caring for trees throughout the year.
You said… we need to educate young people about the benefits of nature
Many people who fed back to our survey suggested that more could be done to educate young people about the natural world and how very important it is to look after it. We absolutely agree – we’d love to do even more outreach with young people!
But did you know that we already run several programmes across the city?
At Poole Farm, we run regular youth clubs focussed on outdoor skills and we run Junior Ranger sessions where young people can earn digital badges for set programmes of work.
We run the Forest Rising programme, a youth forum which allows young people to feed into the delivery of tree planting across the city.
Our Green Communities team is delivering a programme of nature education sessions in primary schools, secondary schools, and with youth groups, too.
Our Climate Connections team regularly provide resource for schools and appoints Young Climate Ambassadors for carbon-conscious volunteers.
Meanwhile, this year our National Marine Park are inviting all key stage two classes across the city to take part in the Sea in our Schools programme.
Do we want to do more? Absolutely, and we will continue to work with partners and funding bodies to explore as many education options as possible, and give young people the chance to gain employment and build careers in looking after and improving nature sites across the city.
You said… that the water quality of the Sound and rivers needs improvement
It’s a hard agree from us – the water quality around Plymouth is not good enough. And although the issue is not of our making, we are determined to support improvements in the Tamar Catchment, in the Sound and along the Plym.
Earlier this year, we held and hosted a Water Quality Select committee, which was supported by partners from the Environment Agency and South West Water.
Representatives from the National Marine Park, University of Plymouth, Tamar Catchment Partnership, Ocean Conservation Trust and a local swimming group were also in attendance to provide insight and answer questions.
Amongst the actions for the Council were an increased drive in education (see above!) as to what communities can do to improve water quality and to lobby government to allow Plymouth to be a pilot for an area of water quality improvement.
South West Water, meanwhile, were tasked with ensuring their existing drainage infrastructure investment plans align with the city aspirations while the Environment Agency were asked to make water quality data from a new pilot monitoring scheme available more quickly.
The partners involved in the select committee will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise their commitments and actions to water quality for the next ten years.
You said… you wanted us to take better care of grass in the city.
We hear what you’re saying on grass-cutting and we know that this year, we didn’t quite get it right. The very wet weather at the start of the year meant we couldn’t start on time and then when we did start, the rain continued to fall, and we couldn’t keep on top of the growth.
Full disclosure; 60-40, our policy of cutting most of our grass regularly, but managing the minority for nature, is here to stay. If we want to make a difference to the biodiversity crisis; if we want nature to thrive in our city, then we have to do what we know is right.
But what we can do is manage it differently. One of things that you said to us was that there was too much grass and not enough colour. Fair challenge. Over the winter, we’re going to look to fix that by improving a whole range of sites across the city.
We are also going to look at how the cutting schedules are managed, how we can do more regular cuts on areas we know are prone to quick growth. This year, despite the issues, we doubled the regularity of cuts on roadside verges and playgrounds. This is something we can build on.
You said… that litter can spoil some of our best green and blue spaces
We agree. Littering really is the pits and the only people to blame for litter are the litterers themselves. Litter annoys us too and takes resource away from other services.
We do carry out litter picks where we can, particularly in our larger parks and there are also some amazing local volunteer groups who help out, too, and we do our best to support them to do that. But the fact is, none of these would be needed if people took responsibility for their own waste.
Did you know that there are 1,078 litter bins across the city and that 381 of those are in our parks or green spaces?
You said… we need more dog poo bins in our parks and nature reserves
Whilst we think we have generally got the right balance of bins in our parks right for the level of demand we will always listen to feedback and review provision at specific locations where concerns are raised.
Did you know that dog poo can be put in any public litter bin?
You said… you wanted more opportunities to get involved
Good news in this department… we’ve got more opportunities to get involved than you can shake a stick at!
Green Communities
Regular opportunities to get involved across Central Park, Devonport Park and Keyham.
Find out more: Green Communities webpage
Plymouth Sound National Marine Park
Get involved in a full range of volunteering programmes across Plymouth’s varied waterfront.
Find out more: National Marine Park website
BRIC
Sign up a voluntary Community Flood Responder role, and our Adopt a Drain scheme. We provide training and/or equipment for the voluntary activities.
Find out more: BRIC webpage
Community Forest
Regular Community Tree Nursery Volunteering every Thursday at Poole Farm.
Community tree planting days within the city across the winter.
Forest Rising winter programme open for registration now for young people aged 16 – 28 years old.
Find out more: Community Forest website
Plymouth Natural Grid
Regular volunteer opportunities across reserves and greenspaces in the city. Practical conservation work and infrastructure/ access improvement work.
Find out more: PNG LinkedIn
Poole Farm
Weekly volunteering opportunities at the farm
Find out more: Poole Farm Facebook page
Climate Connections
Adults can join the Climate Ambassador volunteers programme. There is also a youth version to join as well.
Find out more: Climate Connections website