A pilot project has helped give 68 taxi drivers a world travelling taste of greener transport.

The Council’s pilot Green Taxi Project has completed its final low emissions mileage, supporting taxi firms across the county who are looking to cut their own carbon footprints.

The Council was one of the select few local authorities in Wales taking part in the Welsh Government funded scheme.

Beginning during autumn 2021 the project initially included the use of four wheelchair-accessible Nissan Dynamo E-NV200 taxis to use as part of the ‘try before you buy scheme’.

Hackney licensed taxi drivers were able to try vehicle free of charge for 30 days, including free electric charging at specific locations in the county, vehicle licensing, breakdown cover and insurance.

Feedback from the taxi drivers regarding long distance work, saw a Kia EV6 added to the options.

The vehicle can cover up to 328 miles on a single charge to allow taxi drivers to confidently work a complete shift including airport transfers without the need for charging.

Final mileage for the project saw the taxis cover roughly the distance of three and a half times around the world at 88,086 miles.

The number of trips taken to support how greener taxi transport can help cut emissions finished at 12,760 individual journeys, operating across Rhyl, Prestatyn, St Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin, Corwen and Llangollen.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “This pilot project has really helped taxi drivers across the county get a good experience of what it’s like to drive an electric vehicle (EV). It helped them all focus on their own carbon footprint and what they can do themselves to reduce their impact. Feedback has been really good from the drivers.

“The project has enabled us to source feedback on the use of zero emission tailpipe vehicles during taxi operations without compromising on service delivery and also show the fuel savings and impact against climate change that EVs can provide.”

“The pilot has also helped our fleet department as well look at how different EV vehicles can suit the urban and rural areas for transport that Denbighshire has.”

A Ruthin café is making sure good food doesn’t go to waste to support the local community.

Seconds café on Well Street, has taken the innovative approach to tackling unnecessary food waste to reduce the impact on the environment.

The café, operated by ReSource, has been running for nearly four months and is situated in Crown House which is owned by the Council.

Council staff recently took part in the Design Council's, Design Differently programme focussing on the circular economy around reuse and repair in Denbighshire with other organisations including Reuse Wales who helped establish the café idea.

The Design Differently programme encouraged collaborative working which allowed the Council the opportunity to support ReSource with some of their design ideas and vice versa. Three ReSource staff then used design thinking to create a savvy food surplus using community hub.

Jade Lee is one of the team: “The main bit for the café is that we will always take in surplus of foods so our menu can change day to day for visitors. We have sourced local where possible as well and when we buy in, we try to keep that as local as possible.

“We don’t let anything go to waste so where we can, we will reuse it and as well it keeps costs down for us and café visitors. We keep our costs as low as possible to run this as a community café.

"Our Team here deals with the Co-Op, the market hall here in Ruthin, we use Pips Vegan Cheese and we have had donations from Patchwork Foods which have been amazing.”

Seconds café is currently trading from Wednesday to Saturday and has a real Cost of Living supporting scheme for those who may struggle to buy out at the venue.

Jade explained: “We also do the pay forward which a lot of people that come in think it’s such a fantastic scheme. Any tips for staff that we get we pop in the pay forward little tub; it just means that anyone who comes in that can’t afford or can only give so much… it just goes towards that.

It’s not just food surplus the café tackles, books and games are also on the menu.

Jade added: “We put little events on, we do days with a certain game, or we also have a book club just to bring people in. We have had one event where people could come in and learn 1960s hair styles. A few people event rent the café so they can come in and do a certain workshop, events for the community.

“We have even hosted our first children’s party, the family involved already come in quite a bit with their young ones."

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Creating a partnership approach is a great way to tackle the many challenges we all face in adapting to climate change. We were grateful to have this opportunity from the Design Council that has helped us move forward as a Council in working closer with our communities such as Seconds Café to better tackle issues such as the environmental impact of food waste together.”

Corwen primary pupils have a new biodiversity boosting addition to their school grounds.

Ysgol Caer Drewyn pupils joined with the Council’s Biodiversity team to create a new wildflower meadow for the school to help local nature.

The new addition to the ground is part of the school’s recent KS1 category win in the Council’s Postcards from the Future competition which asked pupils to deliver a message back through time to help us understand how to create a better future for ourselves in the county and across the world.

Pupils Lily and Eleanor looked at how they could help both the oceans and rainforests and their inhabitants recover from climate and ecological change in 2050.

All winners received a selection of environmental books for the school, a talk from the County Council's Biodiversity Team and a collection of plug plants to help create or improve a wildflower area.

Year One and Two pupils rolled up their sleeves with the officers to plant the wildflowers which have been grown at the Council’s tree nursery at St Asaph on a corner of the school grounds to create a new meadow.

They planted red clover, red campion, birds-foot trefoil, yarrow, and self-heal.

Ellie Wainwright, biodiversity officer, said: “The pupils were really keen to do their bit to create the meadow as they all understand how these areas support a range of wildlife from ‘mini-beasts’ (invertebrates) like bees and butterflies to larger animals such as birds and hedgehogs. They were great and very enthusiastic about getting their hands in the soil to make a difference for their future.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “I’m really proud of the pupils for getting stuck in to creating this wildflower area. These areas are not just for boosting nature and local biodiversity, they are for us too, especially our future generations such as these children who I hope will see this piece of land grow and protect our species.”

Pupils at Ysgol Caer Drewyn were acknowledged for all their eco work and have had their Platinum status from Keep Wales Tidy retained for the ninth year this year.

The competition was also supported by the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) zero carbon Britain. CAT is an educational charity dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change.

A vibrant volunteer community has formed from the roots of a growing biodiversity project.

The Council’s local provenance tree nursery at Green Gates Farm, St Asaph, aims to produce 5,000 native wildflower plants a year alongside 5,000 native trees.

This project has been funded by Welsh Government, through the Local Nature Partnerships Cymru ENRaW project and Local Places for Nature grant, is also fostering a growing group of volunteers who have become keen to watch their work grow into vital support for county biodiversity.

Trees and plants grown at the nursery eventually will head back out into the countryside to boost biodiversity. Already last autumn nearly 8,000 plants were added to a number of Denbighshire Wildflower Meadows.

Angela Mackirdy, who lives in Rhyl and formally of Shropshire, came to help and support the ambition of the tree nursery last year after contacting the Council’s biodiversity team about environmental opportunities.

She explained: “When I was in Shropshire I used to do a lot of environmental stuff. We had a small holding; we were high level environmentalists. I did bird surveys, nature surveys, plant surveys, we were really involved in the local wildlife group.

“I started coming last year when we were knee deep in mud. I just enjoy it, I enjoy coming out and meeting people and seeing how things have developed. It’s amazing isn’t it.

“When we planted the acorns and then oaks start growing, you just think well in 50 years’ time that tree is going to be growing somewhere.”

Simon Roberts, who runs an allotment at Prestatyn, cites the opportunity to learn as a great aspect of volunteering at the nursery.

“You meet different people that you wouldn’t meet normally and it’s a nice place. You learn a lot more about the wildflowers. We have got a bank down at the allotment, we’ve put stuff in and are trying to get as good as you see outside here.

“Neil (The Tree Nursery Officer) is very knowledgeable about stuff which I find helps me, stuff I can’t grow at home he talks about.”

Husband and Wife Roger and Sue Jones, of St Asaph, are glad not just of giving support to local biodiversity but being able to travel sustainably to do so.

Roger said: “We are quite green…Sue saw this one last week and I said we should go down and here we are.”

Sue added: “Its handy for us in St Asaph, we can walk or cycle.”

Clare Frederickson, travels over from Glyn Ceiriog in her electric vehicle, to play her part in helping boost the plants and trees for local biodiversity.

She explained: “I really wanted to come, it’s a good opportunity, it’s amazing what’s been done. Tuesdays are a really good day for me it just fell into place and I thought right I will come to see if I can do anything helpful.

“It’s incredible just been here… it’s really lovely, it’s just beautiful.”

Gareth Hooson, from Denbigh, explained his motivation for helping the nursery was part of the bigger picture of climate change.

He said: “I can’t think of anything more pressing than the need for trees right now, that’s primary motivation if you like.

I’ve always had an interest in horticulture, when I started when I was a student, working summertime jobs in horticulture… it’s never left me.”

Gareth started volunteering when the Biodiversity team appealed for help to collect acorns in autumn 2022 to grow at the nursery.

“It’s just seeing that through really. We collected them, we planted them, we potted them on and here they are. Once you get involved, well you’re hooked basically aren’t you because you realise the value in what you are doing.

“The next stage will be to get these out into the environment, to get them going on.

“It’s a valuable thing to be doing I don’t think many people realise the state that we are actually in, and we need to pull together and sort it out if we are able to.

“It’s quite a unique facility this I think and to be a part of it is definitely worthwhile. It’s a great project and I hope I’m here to see it in 10 years!”

All the volunteers are looked after by Tree Nursery Officer Neil Rowlands: “They have been brilliant; they are such a great group and so invested in what we are trying to achieve here at the nursery.

“It’s great having them here as it’s become a real vibrant community, and everyone is interested in learning how we are growing the plants and trees. Without the volunteers we would have not been able to reach the stage we are at, and I am really thankful for all their support.”

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are really grateful to all the volunteers who have come to the tree nursery to help out. Their efforts are really helping us make a big difference for local biodiversity and also, I am pleased they are really enjoying their time at the site.”

If you would like to volunteer to help at the tree nursery, please get in touch at biodiversity@denbighshire.gov.uk

Prestatyn pupils are creating a haven for nature to survive on their school grounds.

Ysgol Penmorfa pupils are looking after the biodiversity around their school to help tackle the climate and nature emergency.

The school has created multiple outdoor areas for wildlife to thrive, including their biodiversity friendly garden, wildflower areas and tree corridors. Over winter the school planted 400 trees from the woodland trust on their grounds and 15 heritage fruit trees with the help of Denbighshire’s Countryside service team, creating a wildlife corridor of saplings and long grass around the outside of their school field.

Through advice and support from the Council’s Biodiversity Team, pupils are moving ahead with increasing support for the nature on site by using what the school grounds are providing. Staff recently visited Ysgol Penmorfa to run a biodiversity session for pupils from the life skills gardening group. Pupils were given help by the team to collect seeds from their school grounds to help replenish and boost their existing wildflower areas, and hopefully create more in the future using this sustainable seed source. Staff also led a bug hunt around the school grounds to show pupils the value of these wild areas to invertebrates and other wildlife.

Ellie Wainwright, biodiversity officer, said: “It was wonderful to see how enthusiastic the children were about the different invertebrates living on their school grounds. It’s so important for them to learn about and interact with nature for both their health and the future health of the planet. The wild areas Ysgol Penmorfa have created are absolutely buzzing and every action like this helps to tackle the climate and ecological emergency, ensuring a future for these children.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Wales is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world with one in six species in Wales at risk of extinction and more than 97 percent of our wildflower meadows have been lost in the last 100 years.

“So what these pupils are doing here is amazing, their care and passion towards learning how to protect these habitats on their own school grounds is something we can all learn from.”

Denbighshire Countryside Services staff have dug deep to help ‘incredible’ food grow on Denbigh’s doorstep.

Countryside staff and volunteers have linked up with Incredible Edible Denbigh to help prepare allotment spaces donated to the group for planting and growing.

Incredible Edible groups work to create kind, confident and connected communities through the power of food and welcome members of the public to be a part of growing fresh produce locally.

Denbigh’s group is aiming to grow food with help from the local community, allowing people to access locally produced fruit and vegetable.

Incredible Edible Denbigh also aims to provide the community with the skills to grow food at home. A series of workshops are planned to teach people these skills as well as healthy cooking and how to value surplus food.

Denbighshire Countryside Services has helped the group plan and build the infrastructure needed to achieve their local aims.

This includes a disability access stone and dust path to grant access to the growing space, two raised beds, and a shelter which will provide storage space as well as protection from sun or rain.

Countryside Ranger Brad Shackleton said: “It has been really good to support Incredible Edible Denbigh’s fantastic work here in the town by helping them prepare their site. Giving the opportunity for the community to source local food and have a go growing themselves is a brilliant initiative.”

Sue Lewis of Incredible Edible Denbigh, said: “Bwyd Bendigedig Dinbych / Incredible Edible Denbigh is one part of the wider Bwyd Cymunedol / Community Food group which was formed following the Denbigh People's Assembly on sustainable, local food held last year.

“We're so grateful for the support we've had from Council staff, and also from local Councillor Delyth Jones in helping to make the community allotment a reality. We hope many more people will be inspired to join us - all are welcome!”

Councillor Win Mullen James, Denbighshire Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “Giving communities the chance to grow their own fresh food, learn and enjoy the benefits is so important in this day and age and I am pleased our Countryside Staff and volunteers were able to support the group.”

A traditional horse powered method has helped resource wood to use following ash dieback work.

Denbighshire Countryside Services has had support from a four-legged friend at Loggerheads Country Park to clear up wood for reuse after recent onsite ash dieback prevention work.

The UK native ash tree is particularly common across Denbighshire’s landscape and unfortunately, many of these trees, including some at Loggerheads, have been struck by the fungus named Hymenoscyphus fraxineus which causes ash dieback.

Trees deemed a risk due to the disease were cut down at the park but the left-over wood will be getting reused to further support the park thanks to the efforts of 15-year-old Gypsy Cob Bill.

Kevin Taylor of Shire X Logging brought Bill to the park to help Countryside staff extract timber which they could not access with vehicles and was too heavy to move by hand. He has been working with Bill for 11 years and the pair have a very close bond.

Using Bill is a type of forestry management which has horses move trees from a felled location to a collection area. The technique is also more carbon friendly with the horse replacing vehicles and kinder to the forest ecology.

The timber collected by Bill will be milled into useable pieces to create benches to go park out into the park.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “It’s great that a traditional method has enabled us to reclaim this wood for reuse in the park that it came from after this important ash dieback work at the park and thanks to everyone for their support while Bill carried out his work.”

The Council’s Biodiversity team is preparing to carry out work to help safeguard history of long-standing trees across the region.

The team is appealing to all landowners across Denbighshire who have ancient or veteran native broadleaf trees on their property to step forward and help preserve the lineage.

If landowners are interested in contributing to conservation efforts in the county, all the officers need to do is collect seeds from the designated tree.

These will then be grown at the Council’s tree nursery at St Asaph which has already seen 11,500 trees grown on site for 2023.

Biodiversity Officer Liam Blazey explained: “We are on the lookout for these magnificent trees and their seeds to help preserve and increase our county’s canopy cover and would really appreciate the help of landowners to do this.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We have a great facility in the shape of our tree nursery which is really forging ahead to help us improve our biodiversity right across Denbighshire. It would be fantastic if we can use this to continue the legacy of those proud ancient trees out there in the county and I would encourage landowners to get in touch if they want to do their bit to help our local tree canopy thrive.

Contact the Biodiversity Team to learn more – biodiversity@denbighshire.gov.uk