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Biodiversity funding announced during COP15

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Originally published by NatureScot here.

Projects to restore rivers in the Cairngorms and protect the rainforest in Argyll are among the initiatives that will share £7.6 million through the latest round of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.

This round is focussed on supporting large scale projects, including multi-year projects that run up to 2026.

For the first time, it also includes development funding to help organisations bring big restoration projects to the point of delivery, addressing a key capacity gap in the sector.

The £65 million fund was a key part of the Bute House Agreement and multi-year funding across this parliament was announced on Nature Day at COP26.

Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said:

“The Nature Restoration Fund is Scotland’s largest ever fund for nature and since we launched it at COP26 in Glasgow we have already invested over £20 million. This is having a real impact across Scotland, restoring rivers and floodplains, regenerating our forests and recovering our wildlife populations.

“This is just a part of our commitment to invest at least an additional £500 million in the natural economy over the course of this parliament. Responsible private investment in restoring Scotland’s natural environment will also be essential to deliver our biodiversity strategy and meet our nature and climate goals. We are working hard to ensure that we secure the necessary investment for a nature positive future.”

Chair of NatureScot Mike Cantlay said:

“This is a critical time for nature and it’s vital we use the new targets from COP27, COP15 and the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy as a catalyst for ambitious action against biodiversity loss and climate change. The Nature Restoration Fund is helping us do exactly that, and we’re excited to be supporting a range of large-scale projects that have the power to transform nature, helping us reach our goals of protecting 30% of our land and seas by 2030 and restoring biodiversity by 2045. It’s projects like these that will help secure a nature-rich future for Scotland.”

Froglife’s London Tails of Amphibian Discovery (T.O.A.D) project secures National Lottery investment

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Froglife, a wildlife conservation charity has received a confirmed grant of £38,800, made possible by National Lottery players, to develop its London T.O.A.D project, it was announced today. The grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) will enable Froglife to undertake a six month development phase. During these six months Froglife will be planning an extensive range of activities to benefit the UK’s beleaguered common toads.

In 2016 Froglife worked in partnership with the University of Zurich to analyse its 30+ year Toads on Roads database. The findings from this research concluded that the UK’s common toads have declined by 68% over the 30 year period. It is known that year-on-year mortality of toads crossing roads to reach their breeding sites does eventually lead to the extinction of the population. Froglife coordinates the toads on roads patrols, these are volunteers who go out on spring evenings and help toads across busy roads. The dedication from these volunteers is of enormous help to our toad populations. However, in cities such as London, where the volume of traffic is such that it is not feasible to patrol roads, alternative systems are essential.

Being a very pro-active organisation Froglife immediately put in place an action plan to help secure the future of our common toads. This London project forms part of the action plan. The project will be working on six large wildlife sites in London creating networks of habitats suitable for toads. It will also be visiting toad patrol sites to select sites to benefit from infrastructure such as wildlife tunnels. Froglife is currently monitoring numerous wildlife tunnels of different designs using 24 hour cameras, the early results are showing that wildlife tunnels are well-used and not only by the wildlife that they are designed for.

Froglife wants as many people as possible to get involved in its work and in order to encourage wide engagement in toad conservation Froglife will be delivering activities such as the creation of a Mapestry (tapestry reflecting the heritage items of London), T.O.A.D wildlife gardening workshops, T.O.A.D. Tails – an activity delivered in schools, Swimming with T.O.A.Ds – converting swimming pools into toad ponds and T.O.A.D. Shows, where a Froglife Pond Doctor will provide households with wildlife gardening tips.

Kathy Wormald, Froglife CEO, said: “We are very grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund for this grant. It will provide Froglife with an excellent opportunity to inspire local communities in London about their common toad populations and their intriguing lives, whilst also introducing people to the many local green spaces on our doorsteps that can be enjoyed by all. We’ll be hosting some exceptionally creative activities alongside much needed habitat creation and restoration work.”

Stuart Hobley, Head of HLF London, said: “Whilst the age-old question might concern chickens, we are delighted that National Lottery players are able to support Froglife in helping London’s toads cross the road. This project has the potential to celebrate the humble toad, their habitats, and the important role they play in our environment. The project will also allow volunteers a toad-ally exciting opportunity to learn and develop new skills. We look forward to seeing the final proposals in due course”.

Froglife has bagged a share of a £11.5million carrier bag charge fund

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TESCOFroglife are delighted to announce they have bagged £10,000 from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

The supermarket teamed up with Groundwork to launch its Bags of Help initiative, which saw grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to environmental and greenspace projects.

Eight million shoppers voted in stores up and down the country. And it can now be revealed Froglife has been awarded £10,000.

The results have been announced and Froglife will now begin work on bringing their project to life.

Froglife have recently taken over management of Boardwalks Nature Reserve in Peterborough, a fantastic place for their favourite species, and have already started some improvements through their River Nene Dragon Finder project. You may have seen new ponds being created and some trees removed to stop leaf litter silting up existing ponds. But you may also have noticed vandalised information boards and the lack of seats. You may not have even known you were on a reserve with such interesting wildlife. Tesco’s Bags of Help funding will help Froglife to provide homes for all kinds of wildlife here, and make it accessible and fun for families. Froglife will now be able to demonstrate that the area is being looked after, which will reduce antisocial behaviour.

Over the next 6 months you will see new signs, beautifully carved benches, a pond dipping platform and more bat and bird boxes. In the autumn Froglife will do further habitat work to improve the ponds for amphibians.

Froglife will be delivering some of the work through their projects with vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Peterborough. They will learn new skills, gain confidence, and improve their social skills whilst they contribute in a positive way to our community.

“We are so pleased we have some money to improve this site. I can’t wait to get young people down there and start using their ideas.” Said Rebecca Neal, Froglife’s Conservation Youth Worker on the Green Pathways project.

Caroline Silke, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response of our customers and the feedback has been brilliant.

“We can’t wait to see the money being put to use bringing these projects to life.

“Nominations for the next round of the initiative will open in April and we look forward to helping a further round of groups and projects bag their share of the bag charge fund.”

Voting ran in store from 27 February until 6 March – with customers choosing which group they’d like to get the top award using a token given to them at the check-out in store.

Tesco estimated that around eight million votes were cast in stores across the UK.

Groundwork’s national chief executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “We have been delighted to have been involved in the Bags of Help project.

“It has been wonderful to follow the projects through the application process to the final announcement.

“This is money which will go directly back into the communities up and down the country creating places to meet people, be active, play or simply relax. This initiative is really putting something back into the local environment, transforming greenspaces and helping the community at a grass-roots level.”

Nominations and applications for the next round of Bags of Help funding will open on April 18. As well as applying direct, suggestions for projects can also be nominated by people living locally.

Pudsey Bear loves Froglife!

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Froglife have some exciting news to share: Pudsey Bear still loves us!

130129 Ken Stimpson 2 at Cuckoos Hollow gangnam style

Last week we found out that we have successfully secured a further three years of funding for our Peterborough Green Pathways project from BBC Children in Need.
This support means that we can continue to offer outdoor therapy to vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in the city. It will be the third time that we have run this project in Peterborough which shows that funders understand the importance and impact of the work we are doing.

In the current project, which finishes at the end of 2014, we have improved green spaces across Peterborough for wildlife and people by, for example, designing wildlife-themed murals, digging ponds, providing information boards, surveying for snakes and working in community gardens. All of these projects have been achieved by teenagers with extra difficulties in their lives. We also delivered fun sessions to those with limited access to the outdoors, doing things like climbing trees and building dens. Young people have improved their confidence, behaviour and social skills whilst learning about the natural environment, gaining new skills and having fun outdoors.
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The new project has additional funding attached to it which means that as well as doing our usual projects and outdoor activities; we will also be able to take young people further afield to visit museums, universities and important wildlife sites. The new funding means we will be able to offer a traineeship to help someone take their first step into a career in the conservation sector.

Our Conservation Youth Worker for the current Green Pathways project, Rebecca Neal, said:
“I am so pleased that the work we do with young people can continue. Connecting people with nature has such a huge impact on wellbeing, yet so few organisations are out there working with the people who could benefit the most. I am looking forward to getting Peterborough’s young people out there feeling the dirt!”

Starting in the New Year we will be looking for referrals of young people aged 5-18 who can be considered vulnerable or disadvantaged in some way and who would benefit from getting outdoors and doing something practical. We can work with individuals, groups or families; through schools, youth groups or charities; during school time, after school or during the holidays. We always appreciate the help that volunteers can provide and need new green spaces to work in. Please get in touch if you think you can help.

To find out more about the Peterborough Green Pathways project you can visit www.froglife.org or contact the Green Pathways’ Conservation Youth Worker Rebecca Neal on rebecca.neal@froglife.org or 01733 602102. We would love to hear your thoughts on the new project on our Facebook page  or tweet us your comments @Froglifers.

 

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