Environment Group
Information about the Environment Group
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Who are we: We are a group of villagers who love nature. We want to do something practical to help wildlife thrive in our parish and recover from the huge threats facing all nature in the UK. We have a simple, unofficial charter and a small core group which shapes the work we do. We avoid committees and focus on practical action. Membership is free and we currently have over 100 members and supporters.
Our aim: To help protect and restore nature throughout the Parish of East Harptree. We do this by engaging with local people so we can all experience and value the nature on our doorstep and perhaps join in practical conservation projects. Our current focus is on creating green corridors across the Parish to link important wildlife sites together, like the Combe and Harptree Woods, to provide a Nature Recovery Network of value to all wildlife.
What we do: We try to stimulate interest in our local environment and help our community to make a more nature-friendly village and parish. We do this by gathering information on local wildlife, creating new habitats, giving advice and practical help to the Parish Council, landowners, and householders, and by organising events, talks and activities. We also help to influence management of the wider parish landscape by supporting District Council and National Landscape policies like the Nature Action Plan and the Mendip National Landscape Strategy.
Why does it matter: Wildlife is in serious trouble everywhere in the UK, with previously common plants and animals disappearing from the countryside. Reversing these declines is in the interest of everyone, in terms of the quality of our lives, a thriving economy, the fight against climate change, and our own future as part of a healthy environment. We cannot just rely on government or charities and other wildlife organisations to act. We need to play our part and work locally to protect the places and wildlife around us. And it is not just for wildlife; helping nature in our parish maintains the richness of the rural landscapes that we value so highly.
The challenges we face? There is little land in East Harptree Parish in public ownership. This means that nature restoration projects will mainly be achieved on private land, and this is not always easy. Farmers are under enormous pressure from shifting markets, government policy, and climate change, so investing time and effort in nature restoration can be a challenge for them. The planting schemes we have undertaken so far have been on the Playing Field, which is under community management, St Lawrence’s Churchyard and on pockets of land owned by sympathetic villagers. We also promote more nature-friendly farming practices by supporting specialist organisations like the Mendip Farm Cluster and the Bristol & Avon Rivers Trust Farm Cluster.
How can you help? Become a member, help us with our projects and enjoy our events and newsletter. The more members we have the more we can show that there is local support for protecting nature. You can also make your own direct contribution through nature-friendly wildlife gardening or taking part in surveys or lobbying local Councillors and MPs to support nature and climate policies. And if you have any land which you would like to make more nature-friendly, we would love to help you.
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