At Avon Wildlife Trust we're excited to launch Nextdoor Nature - a project to support communities in BS1 and BS5 who want to create space for people and nature on their doorstep. I’ll be leading this project as a Community Organiser, and I’d love to hear your ideas for what you'd like to do in your neighbourhood. If you're part of a community group and you have an idea, or want to get involved but aren't sure how to get started, then please get in touch and let us know how we can support you! All the details are available at www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/nextdoornature

This initiative been made possible by a £5 million investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to leave a lasting natural legacy in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Nextdoor Nature will provide solutions to two of the most important issues that we’re working to address: the urgent need to create more space for nature, with a goal to restore 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030, and the need to make nature a part of everyone’s daily life.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and research shows 85% of people in nature-deprived areas say more natural spaces would improve their quality of life. The majority also say that having access to local natural spaces is more important post-pandemic. We want Nextdoor Nature to enable people to make this happen and in doing so, take steps to tackle the nature and climate crisis whilst also addressing important health and wellbeing needs.

Nextdoor Nature will bring a wild touch to the places in Bristol that need it most, as part of a UK-wide initiative which aims to improve the lives of people from some of the most disadvantaged areas. This could include establishing wild habitats and green corridors in areas of economic and nature deprivation, rewilding school grounds, or naturalising unused areas. Most importantly, through Nextdoor Nature, it will be local communities that decide on what happens and drive the change in their neighbourhood.

The initiative will bring huge benefits for nature, too. One of the big problems facing our wildlife is fragmentation – wild places are isolated and disconnected, preventing plants and animals from moving freely across the landscape. By creating wild patches in more built-up areas, we can reconnect our nature networks, creating pit-stops for pollinators, buffets for birds and bats, and highways for hedgehogs.

We’re already working in partnership with Eastside Community Trust and St Mary Redcliffe church, but I’m keen to here from communities of all sizes in Easton and Redcliffe!