How your council can help transform our unloved spaces
Join us in greening the grey and connecting everyone to their wilder sides.
There are many spaces around our towns and cities that are grey, unused, and unloved. In other words, these are a #WasteOfSpace. In the last year, the importance of where we live has come sharply into focus; people value the green spaces around them more highly than ever before.
Evidence demonstrates the importance of green and natural spaces for physical and mental wellbeing, and for the future health and vitality of our communities. But not everyone has access to a garden, or even to their local parks. The most economically deprived areas often have less available green and natural space, meaning people in those communities have fewer opportunities to reap the benefits. Everyone should have access to nature.
Layers
Step 1: Communities identify local 'Wasted Spaces'
Over the next few months, we are asking people to map the ‘wasted space’ in their communities, the unloved scraps around our houses and streets that could and should do so much more for people and nature. This could include tall buildings with the potential to have swift boxes on, paved over surfaces which could be filled with colourful planters or simply a space which needs a litter pick and a place to sit to transform it.
Are you part of a council that would want to get involved with Waste of Space? Email wilder@hiwwt.org.uk
Step 2: Help communities to rewild a Waste of Space
Once people have identified wasted spaces, we will then encourage people to join forces with their friends and neighbours to create green space for urban dwellers and breathe natural life back into our towns and cities. We will provide support and advice to individuals and communities, including how to talk to their local council, ways to identify what wildlife might already be living in their community, and how to make a space which works for people and wildlife.
Councils can act as enablers by helping to navigate legal and other requirements and obstacles, permissions and provide simple tools and resources where needed.
How councils can help
Identify a point of contact for communities who want to get in touch with their local council about rewilding a #WasteOfSpace.
Identify resources and tools, and remove procedural barriers for communities to rewild council owned spaces.
FAQs
What do we mean by a Waste of Space?
Any area, no matter how small, will contribute to a Nature Recovery Network, and help rewild where we live. We are asking people to identify small pockets of land which could be improved for wildlife and people. Examples of this include pieces of grass between houses or concrete planters that hold one tree and the rest is just muddy ground.
We recognise that people may identify larger areas of land, and we will share these with local councils, as there may be opportunities to work together on these, but this is not the focus of the appeal.
What happens after people have mapped wasted spaces?
Once the spaces have been identified we will encourage people to join forces with their friends and neighbours to breathe natural life back into our towns and cities. Everyone who takes part in #WasteOfSpace will become part of Team Wilder, 1000's of people across the two counties who are taking action for wildlife.
We will be empowering communities to talk directly to their council to ensure the appropriate steps are taken for the community to transform their Waste of Space. Once communities have conducted citizen science surveys of the wildlife currently on the space and received permissions from the council, we will provide guidance for communities on how best to rewild their Waste of Space, to ensure it delivers maximum benefit for people and wildlife.
We also will work directly with councils to identify any opportunities for the communities and councils to work together.
Find out more about Team Wilder
How will you ensure any changes will improve the space for wildlife?
Once communities have identified a Waste of Space, we will provide resources and advice to enable them to survey the area to identify what wildlife is currently within the space.
We will then encourage communities to think critically and create a plan about how is best to transform the space so it works better for wildlife and people. If communities are at any point unsure about what is best for wildlife, we will be encouraging them to get in touch with us or ask their council if they could talk to one of their ecologists.
If you have any concerns or would like to provide specific guidance for communities in your area, please email: wilder@hiwwt.org.uk
What happens if someone maps a space that can’t be adopted?
We recognise that not all of the spaces mapped will be able to be adopted for various reasons. We’ll be engaging with councils to ensure you can work with communities to make changes which create better urban spaces for your local community and for wildlife.
Who will be responsible for the ongoing management of these spaces?
As part of Team Wilder, our Wilder Communities programme will provide ongoing support, ensuring that community groups have the skills and commitment to look after these spaces. It is important for us to work with councils so we’ll be able to ensure the right spaces are adopted and that the communities involved are invested in the area on a long term basis.
Get in touch
Want to get involved in Waste of Space? Get in touch with us at wilder@hiwwt.org.uk