New **£1 Million** Fund Established to Protect Green Spaces in England

A new £1 million fund has been established in Gloucestershire, England, to support local communities in protecting threatened green spaces and wildlife sites. Provided by the Summerfield Charitable Trust, this fund aims to enable communities to quickly purchase and secure woodlands and green spaces when they become available for sale. This initiative is part of a new collaboration between the Gloucestershire Nature and Climate Fund and the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership.

Highlights

• The £1 million fund will assist local communities in purchasing and protecting green spaces and wildlife sites.
• It will provide communities with the means to act swiftly and access legal and ecological expertise when land comes up for sale.
• Diane Hill, Chair of the Gloucestershire Nature and Climate Fund, emphasized the urgency, stating, "Once an important green space is lost, it can be lost for good."
• The fund also aims to contribute to nature recovery across the county and address unequal access to nature.

Details

The fund from the Summerfield Charitable Trust will particularly support communities that struggle to compete with private buyers or lack the time and resources when land is put up for sale. With this funding, communities will be able to secure financing quickly and obtain necessary legal and ecological consultancy services. The goal is to preserve valuable natural assets and pass them on to future generations.

Previously, communities in areas like Daisybank in Cheltenham and Rodborough Fields near Stroud have successfully campaigned to save land from development. At Rodborough Fields, public efforts led to nine acres of land being brought into community ownership. However, the rejection of a bid for another 30 acres in the same area that went on the market has caused concern within the community. The new fund is expected to provide a significant advantage to communities in such situations.

Why it matters

This fund will play a critical role in strengthening local nature conservation efforts, especially in protecting green spaces under pressure from urbanization and land development. By enhancing communities' ability to protect their own environments, it will contribute to maintaining biodiversity and improving local access to nature. David Owen, Chair of Trustees at The Summerfield Charitable Trust, stated that this initiative "has the potential to create a lasting legacy for nature, communities and future generations across Gloucestershire."