Why is this important
A recent report in Harvard Business Review demonstrated that even small interventions to increase access to nature – in offices from Canada to China – increased staff creativity, productivity and helpfulness. Natural England’s “Links between natural environments and mental health” 2022 paper also affirms that spending time in natural environments is associated with positive outcomes for mental health, stress and psycho-social wellbeing.
Both reports indicate that increasing access to nature need not be large-scale, expensive or onerous to generate these benefits. Whilst not every organisation can invest in a green roof or living wall, even micro spaces can become ‘stepping stones’ to connect up habitats and provide feeding stations for wildlife. For staff too time-pressed to fit in a regular nature walk, daily glimpses of nature at work and a chance to see, smell or hear our incredible biodiversity are also effective in boosting mood and performance.
Public bodies already have a duty, under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, to maintain and enhance biodiversity and their partners and suppliers are being asked to showcase their biodiversity commitments too when they tender for public contracts.
With all these reasons to incorporate nature more in both our personal and professional lives, we are delighted to share some top tips to help!
How you can take action for nature
Let it grow!
Take part in No Mow May and Let it Bloom June – Plantlife’s annual campaign urging everyone to pack away the lawnmower, let wildflowers grow freely and help nature. Whether you’re in a city, town or the countryside, it’s easy to take part.
Adopt a green space
Adopt a verge or a green space near your place of work. Download Plantlife’s ‘Road verge and green space management best practice’ guides and learn how to transform verges and green spaces.
Small is beautiful
No lawn or green space is too small! Even the smallest wild patch can provide vital food needed by bees and butterflies, connecting us with nature and giving nature the best start to summer.
‘Nature isn’t neat’
Check out the MonLife’s ‘Nature isn’t Neat’, approach to establishing joined-up green space management to create wildflower-rich pollinator habitats across Gwent local authority areas. This includes a comprehensive toolkit to support organisations and community groups.
Turn a neglected space into a vibrant garden
Keep Wales Tidy are giving away free garden packs to community groups, schools and other community-based organisations to turn neglected spaces into vibrant gardens. Whether you want to grow fruit and veg, create a green community hub, or boost local biodiversity, there are several packs to choose from.
‘Biodiversity Basics’
If you are a community or town councillor, you can take part in One Voice Wales Biodiversity Basics (Module 25 – Biodiversity basics Part 1 and Module 26 Part 2) designed by the Cynnal Cymru training team. This course teaches the basics of biodiversity, nature recovery and ecology to enable good decisions and effective Biodiversity Action Plans.
Citizen science
If access to land in your work place or at home is limited, why not explore biodiversity in your local area by using the LERC App, contributing to nature conservation, planning, research and education by submitting biodiversity records.
You can also help control and reduce the spread of invasive species at home or work with the help of this easy-to-use toolkit from the Wales Resilient Ecological Network.
Increasing nature & biodiversity at your business premises
Using the expertise of its Landscape Architecture team, Groundwork has pulled together a free Nature & Biodiversity toolkit which outlines the different nature-based features your business could consider at different scales of investment and impact.
Practical examples of organisations taking action for nature
From small growing initiatives to site-wide biodiversity action plans, the following businesses and organisations are already taking action to increase biodiversity within their community and place of work.
1. Incredible Edible Network
Transport for Wales are supporting and working with the ‘Incredible Edible Network’ of growing initiatives including ‘Incredible Edible Abergavenny’ and Machynlleth (via Edible Mach) which plant fruit and vegetables in public places for anyone to help themselves.
2. Action on Climate Emergency
Action on Climate Emergency (ACE) Monmouth are a community group supporting a variety of nature-based initiatives to boost biodiversity and carbon capture. This includes coordinating seed swaps, a pesticide free Monmouth, sustainable open gardens and supporting nature enhancement in school gardens.
3. Y Stiwdio – A place to make, learn and grow
Y Stiwdio in Pembrokeshire is a creative space where wellies are welcome. A place to make, learn and grow. Y Stiwdio volunteers have created a community described as ‘A special place for all of us with secluded seating and a variety of wildlife-friendly plants to enhance the centre of the village’.
4. Cardiff University – Ecosystem resilience and biodiversity action plan 2024-2026
Cynnal Cymru has office space in the Sbarc|Spark building in Cathays Cardiff. While it is located in an urban area, we were pleased to discover the surrounding land was being used to create wildlife friendly spaces including mini meadows, hedgerows and a bug hotel. The Ecosystem Resilience and Biodiversity Action Plan, sets out how Cardiff University are going to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote ecosystem resilience across Cardiff University’s campuses.
5. Capital Coated Steel – Biodiversity garden
Capital Coated Steel are an excellent example of how a steel manufacturer has made space for nature on a previously derelict site. The Biodiversity garden supports staff well-being, helps to educate visitors and repurposes waste. The project initiated by, Simon Nurse, and co-created with his team, has now taken on a life of it’s own! You can follow the latest updates on Simon’s Linkedin page.
6. Greener Grangetown, Cardiff – Sustainable Drainage Systems
Greener Grange is a nature-based intervention to retrofit a sustainable drainage system into existing urban streets, creating over 100 raingardens while leaving space for parking and other needs. Not only does the system reduce flooding, it has increased biodiversity and provides multiple benefits to the local community. You can read more about the Green Grangetown project on the Nature Based Solutions hub.
