Nextdoor Nature – a new natural legacy to mark the Queen’s Jubilee – will help nature flourish in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund today announced a £5million investment in a ground-breaking initiative to create a huge matrix of community-led rewilding projects – improving the lives of people from some of the most disadvantaged areas across the UK and leaving a lasting natural legacy in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The funding is part of The National Lottery’s £22million investment to mark the Jubilee.

Nextdoor Nature will give people the skills, tools, and opportunity to take action for nature. This could include establishing wild habitats and green corridors in areas of economic and nature deprivation, rewilding school grounds, or naturalising highly urbanised or unused areas. The pandemic has demonstrated just how important access to a well-cared for natural environment is to communities across the UK.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and research shows 85% of people in nature-deprived areas say more natural spaces would improve their quality of life. The majority also say that having access to local natural spaces is more important post-pandemic. Nextdoor Nature will enable people to make this happen and in doing so, take steps to tackle the nature and climate crisis whilst also addressing important health and wellbeing needs.

Shropshire Wildlife Trust already works with communities and businesses across the county, but this new project will allow even more to get involved.

CEO Richard Grindle says "We know that communities in Telford and across Shropshire want to do something positive for nature in their local area. ‘Nextdoor Nature’ is about letting communities set their own agenda on the environmental issues that matter most to them.  Shropshire Wildlife Trust stands ready to help new groups mobilise and to provide them with practical advice and encouragement."

Our Green Influencers program will also be working with Southall School in Dawley to refresh their wildlife pond and forest school area to make them more attractive for local wildlife.  Local communities around Telford nature reserves such as Lightmoor will also be encouraged to get involved and to have the chance to really make a difference to the natural world around them. And our Land and Water Team will be advising residents in Coalbrookdale on helping to keep their local waterways clean and tidy; for the local wildlife and for local people.

Of the funding, Simon Thurley, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says:

“As part of The National Lottery family’s £22m investment to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we are delighted to launch Nextdoor Nature, a transformational initiative which will give access to the natural environment to thousands of people who may not have fully enjoyed or appreciated it before. We hope that many people will, for the first time, get hands on with nature creating a new generation of champions for our precious natural environment.”

Liz Bonnin, President of The Wildlife Trusts, adds:

“We humans are key to solving the climate crisis and restoring our natural heritage. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, but Nextdoor Nature is working to set that right, putting local communities at the heart of helping our wild places to recover, and making sure that no matter where we live, we can be part of this crucial endeavour.

“The Wildlife Trusts are firmly rooted in communities and can provide support and advice to those willing to lead the charge in bringing wildlife back to homes and workplaces – in turn inspiring those around them to do the same. we can achieve incredible things when we work together!”