The National Trust is Europe’s largest conservation charity, with a purpose to deliver benefit to the nation through nature, history and beauty.
The trust protect and care for places so that people and nature can thrive. In doing so, they are also enabling and providing places for physical activity and improved wellbeing.
What have they done?
Human activities, including climate change, are leading to habitat loss for wildlife and biodiversity on land and in our oceans.
By 2030, the National Trust aim to enhance urban green spaces and link access to the countryside to create 20 ‘green corridors’.
These will provide valuable habitats for biodiversity and wildlife, as well as improving access to nature and encouraging active lifestyles.
The organisation is looking to address unequal access to nature by introducing green corridors in communities without existing access.
How have they done it?
The National Trust’s green corridors will be connected areas of green space, vital for biodiversity, to enable the movement of wildlife.
The first green corridor announced was Bathampton Meadows, to the east of Bath city centre. The land was previously low-quality, drained agricultural land.
The National Trust have considered the existing and natural ecology and floodplain setting of the land when setting the vision and plan.
They plan to regenerate the land by re-wetting, re-wilding and re-introducing local native species.
The Bathampton Meadows vision includes:
- 30 hectares of habitat-rich wildflower meadow
- Two hectares of wetland creation for the population of wild beavers
- 1.4km of hedgerow and 600 trees planted
- Community orchard with endangered local heritage varieties of fruit tree
- 7km of new ‘path for all’ access
One of the National Trust’s key challenges is balancing access (people) and biodiversity (nature). The green corridors are being developed together with local communities, partners, and specialists to ensure both people and nature benefit.
Climate and biodiversity outcomes
The green corridors will regenerate woodlands, meadows and wetlands. Along with biodiversity and human wellbeing, these natural assets have many co-benefits, including carbon sequestration (absorbing emissions), climate change adaptation (resilience to extreme weather) and reducing urban heat.
Two of the National Trust’s green corridor programme aims are to ‘Restore and establish carbon-rich habitats’ and ‘Increase the ability of our places to adapt to the impacts of climate change’.
Trees and woodlands are well known for their carbon-sequestration abilities, but wetlands are also very productive ‘carbon sinks’.
In terms of climate adaptation, nature-based solutions such as wetlands are resilient, flexible and adaptable. They tend to be better at coping with more extreme weather events compared to engineered solutions.
Outcomes
In 2023, the Bathampton Meadows project achieved:
- 150 hours of community engagement
- 60 individual site visits, talks and meetings with local stakeholders
- 230m of hedgerow laid, and 400 trees planted
- £120,000 of funding secured
The trust’s green corridor programme is an excellent example of multiple partners and communities working towards large-scale biodiversity improvements.
Green corridors can also be small scale; for example, a group of neighbours planting native trees in their backyards, improving biodiversity and connectivity for local wildlife.
Could you develop a green corridor locally at your club?
Top tips
- Plant native trees and vegetation
- Build a bug hotel for you or your club’s property
- Create partnerships to amplify impact
- Balance the needs of people and nature