Footballers have helped kick off development of a new St Asaph community nature space.

The Council’s Countryside Service and Climate Change teams have begun work on developing four new county community nature spaces to boost benefits for local wildlife and residents.

Work began today at Glan Elwy, St Asaph, thanks also to local support from the city’s football club youth teams and Elwy Care Group.

The Community Nature Spaces Project has received £800,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

This biodiversity improvement work will also support the Council’s drive to reduce the county’s carbon footprint by contributing to the amount of carbon sequestered (or absorbed).

Glan Elwy will focus on providing stronger habitat spaces for nature to benefit from as well as community spaces for residents young and old to enjoy and learn from local wildlife.

Volunteers alongside Council staff have planted nearly 2,000 trees planted at the site.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are continuing to nurture and grow our local woodlands which has already seen some fantastic areas for nature and communities created in Rhyl, Prestatyn, Ruthin, Corwen and the surrounding areas.

“These sites are not just to bring back habitats for our local nature but also to support the communities surrounding them, to give residents something to be proud of and that’s why this year’s work will be known as the Community Nature Spaces project and we are proud to start this at St Asaph.

“We are still keen to hear if residents would like to get involved with the other sites for tree planting days and any other volunteering or training opportunities.”

Those interested in helping out can email climatechange@denbighshire.gov.uk

A Rhyl site is taking shape to provide benefits for both local nature and community wellbeing.

Tree planting is underway at the new Community Nature Space adjacent to Ffrodd Elan Park at Llys Brenig on the Park View Estate.

This work accompanies three other Community Nature Spaces being established by the Council this year at St Asaph, Henllan and Clocaenog, which were announced in October 2023, and tree planting at schools throughout the county that was announced in December 2023.

The Community Nature Spaces Project has received funding from an £800,000 grant from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Rhyl’s new Community Nature Space will eventually provide stronger habitat areas for nature to benefit from as well as community spaces to support resident mental and physical wellbeing and enable them to learn about local wildlife.

Developing this Rhyl space will also give other community benefits such as improved air quality, urban heat cooling, and areas of mixed interest for education and play.

This work supports the drive to reduce the county’s carbon footprint by contributing to the amount of carbon sequestered (or absorbed) by trees.

Groundwork at Llys Brenig has seen the creation of a pond and wetland area to support local wildlife, installation of new fences around the pond and around the site boundary, and preparation for future footpath construction for community member to use for recreation.

Denbighshire County Council Countryside Services alongside volunteers are this week planting 1,885 trees at the site, a mix of native broadleaved varieties that are appropriate for the local conditions and which, along with the wetlands and wildflower meadow at the site, will help provide diverse species-rich habitat to aid nature’s recovery and resilience and make a contribution to tackling the ecological and climate emergency in addition to the benefits for local community health.

Ysgol Bryn Hedydd Year 4 pupils who are learning about sustainability in class, also rolled up their sleeves to help with planting at the new community site.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “This is a great development for the wellbeing of the local community surrounding this site and I am grateful to everyone involved who made the acquisition of this land happen.

“I’ve been out there helping with the planting and I am really looking forward to seeing this area grow to support local nature and lend a supportive hand to giving local residents a fantastic place to go and enjoy wildlife on their own doorstep to bring a great boost to their mental and physical wellbeing. “