Posted on: Friday 16 December 2022
Two nature projects aimed at improving biodiversity across the region have been shortlisted for two prestigious awards.
The Nature Isn't Neat project and the Gwent Green Grid partnership team were shortlisted for an excellence award and partnership and collaboration award at the Landscape Institute Awards, last month.
They came runners up in both categories, beating more than 200 entries from the UK and abroad.
The Nature Isn't Neat project aims to develop a joined-up approach to green space management to create wildflower areas across Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport, and Torfaen.
It also aims to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, such as bees and wasps, to biodiversity and tackling climate change.
The Gwent Green Grid Partnership is a ground-breaking regional collaboration that aims to improve and develop green infrastructure - a network of natural and semi-natural features and green spaces, rivers and lakes that connect villages, towns and cities, as well as helping to support job opportunities.
Councillor Anthony Hunt, Leader of the Council, said: “We were very excited that both the Gwent Green Grid Partnership and the Nature Isn’t Neat project were shortlisted for the Landscape Institute Awards in London, getting the recognition they deserve on a national scale. It was a testament to all of the hard work that the projects were runners up in their categories.
“Both of their approaches are crucial in protecting and enhancing our special landscapes, developing green infrastructure and helping address the decline in biodiversity and challenges of climate change. We are lucky to have such excellent professionals as well as such a stunning landscape to work with.”
Both projects are supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe Investing in Rural Areas and is funded by the Welsh Government’s Enabling of Natural Resources and Well-being Grant.
If you would like to find out more about these projects, please follow these links Gwent Green Grid Partnership: Gwent Green Grid Partnership – Monlife
Nature Isn’t Neat: Nature Isn’t Neat
Find out how you can get involved with the Local Nature Partnership by visiting our website.