Communities in Cornwall are benefiting from 40 hectares of improved green spaces created under a pioneering scheme to bring nature-rich habitats to urban areas.

 As spring officially starts today, Cornwall Council is marking the final stages of its Green Infrastructure for Growth - Making Space for Natureprogramme.

The three-year scheme has brought 30 wildlife and pollinator-friendly areas to seven Cornish towns across an area equivalent to 40 rugby pitches.

Now residents are being invited to take part in activities in these enriched green spaces and get involved in further improvements.

The following sites have been completed under the scheme which is part of the Council's Environmental Growth strategy: 

Penzance; Bolitho Gardens, Milllennium Woods, Love Lane Wildlife Garden, Mennaye Boating Lake and Mann's Field

Hayle; Copperhouse Pool Margins, Treveglos Meadow and Millpond Gardens 

Camborne; Tuckingmill Valley Park, Wheal Harriet (Elim Centre) and Park an Tansys open space.

Pool; East Pool Park, Treloweth Park and Crembling Well. New trees have also been planted on Tolvaddon Road.

Redruth; Treskerby Playing Field, Trenoweth Playing Field, Knights Way Field and St Day Road Cemetery.

Bude; Goldsworthy Field, Berries Avenue and Kings Hill Wood 

Saltash; Warfelton Field, Grenfell Estate, Saltmill Park and Longstone Park

Work continues in Penzance and Camborne.

By the end of this year £3.5m will have been spent on public open spaces, roadside verges and closed cemeteries and churchyards. The project is receiving £2.8m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. 

 

The next Making Space for Nature event is a community wildflower planting day in Penzance on Saturday 30 March.

From 10am to midday residents can help plant pot-grown wildflowers at Mennaye Boating Lake and Mann's Field in Wherrytown. There will also be an afternoon session in St Mary's Churchyard between 2pm and 4pm.

Sue James, Cornwall Council's cabinet portfolio holder for the environment and neighbourhoods, said: "The Making Space for Nature project has helped transform plots of land in towns across Cornwall to make them better places for people and for wildlife.

"As spring starts we are inviting residents to come out and see these beautiful new green spaces and get involved in planting activities or just enjoy being in nature."

Future Making Space for Nature activities include community days at:

Trenoweth Playing Field, Redruth, April 9

Berries Avenue and Warfelton, Bude, April 12 and 13

Love Lane Wildlife Garden, Penzance, April 17

Royal Cornwall Show, Wadebridge, June 6 to 8

Goldsworthy Field, Bude, June 15

Treveglos Meadow, Hayle, June 21

St Day Road Cemetery, Redruth, June 22

St Mary's Churchyard, Penzance, June 29

Golowan Festival, Penzance, June 29

Find more information about the Making Space for Nature project.

Making Space for Nature is a practical example of Cornwall Council's Pollinator Action Plan which is being launched later this spring.

It aims to make the Council's assets and operations more pollinator friendly by increasing awareness of pollinators and their needs, identify and support local ideas for pollinator opportunities, help ensure pollinator habitats and species recover and provide beneficial services to farming and tourism and residents across Cornwall.

European Regional Development Fund

The project is receiving up to £2.8 million of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.  The Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/england-2014-to-2020-european-structural-and-investment-funds