County Voice

County Voice: May 2023

Protecting Denbighshire's Biodiversity

In 2019, the Council passed a motion to declare a Climate Change and Ecological Emergency. A cross party-political working group was established to oversee the development of a Climate and Ecological Change Strategy.

The Council also committed to becoming become Net Carbon Zero and more Ecologically Positive Council by 2030.

Part of this work includes a Council Biodiversity Champion role to help drive forward work to protect our local plants and nature for future generations, and Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, is our Biodiversity Champion.

We recently asked him some questions about his role.

Why is protecting our biodiversity important to you?

I take my role as Biodiversity Champion very seriously because if we don’t all pull together, we are heading for disaster. We can see year on year how our landscape is changing, and we need to do something now.

Do you have any early memories of how the land you know locally used to be for plant / nature life?

I remember as a child being out in my garden when there was an abundance of butterflies, unfortunately these have diminished. We have to do something about butterflies and all the other species that have declined over the years. Our hedgerows used to be full of life and it is not too late, but we have to act now.

What are we doing in Denbighshire to boost our local biodiversity?

Protecting Biodiversity is so important to me for the future of our children and grandchildren. We have to show them a different way of living. Instead of taking everything, we must give back to nature, it’s the only way.

The Council is giving back. We have around 115 wildflower meadows that are starting to reap benefits by bringing back the bees, butterflies as well many other species.

We also have our own tree nursery where we are growing around 500 trees and around 500 wildflowers per year. We have also planted around 17,000 trees this year, especially in our school grounds and getting the pupils and teachers involved.

What has been the support for improving biodiversity from local communities?

I have been overwhelmed by the help of our local communities in volunteering to help plant the trees and the wildflowers. Some communities have really come together with the biodiversity challenge; I can’t thank them enough.

What has been you experiences helping out with the volunteers?

I have volunteered on a number of occasions myself and it has been good to meet and talk to our other volunteers who give their own time to this much needed work.

What would be your message to those wanting to do something to help with biodiversity in the county?

My message to everyone who lives in the Denbighshire is to please volunteer just a little of your time - I guarantee you will enjoy it. If you are unable to join in some of our planting sessions, please plant a tree in your own gardens - it will go a long way with biodiversity.

We can all do our little bit for the planet especially the county of Denbighshire.

If you would like to volunteer your help to ongoing biodiversity work in the county or suggest places that can support new biodiversity initiatives, please email: biodiversity@denbighshire.gov.uk

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