Local Natural Partnerships - Naturally Richer

Delivery Body: Surrey and Sussex Local Nature Partnerships

Theme: Urban Regeneration

Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £426k

Match Funding Contribution: £416k

Project Status: Delivering

Summary of Project

In June 2011 the Government published 'The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature' document which is a vision for the natural environment over the next 50 years. As a result, the Surrey Wildlife Trust put forward an innovative project called 'Local Nature Partnerships' which aims to promote the consideration of the natural environment when making decisions regarding the economy and ensuring all construction work will meet a 10% increase of natural capital assets.

 

As this project strongly aligns to the Gatwick 360 SEP, Coast to Capital awarded Local Growth Funding to help fund this initial pilot scheme, which will deliver on two main objectives within the Holmesdale area of Surrey. Firstly the project will increase the natural capital by planting more trees and vegetation to support the existing wildlife, whilst also creating a natural capital asset register to hold important information about the value of the assets including carbon and water uses and the supported wildlife. In addition to this, the project will create a new business that will support contractors to meet a 10% increase of natural capital for every new development created.

 

This in turn will support the ever important environmental climate by increasing capacity to store carbon and water, improving flood storage and water purification, flood resilience and species diversity as well as supporting health benefits for the local community.

Key Outputs

• 3.2 New Jobs
• 2.2 Safeguarded Jobs
• 2 Unlocked Jobs
• 1050 New Learners
• 50 People gaining High Value skills training
• 1410.5ha of natural capital secured for provision of services