West of England Mayor Welcomes £79 Million Government Investment to Restore Nature

West of England Mayor Helen Godwin has welcomed the Government’s announcement of £79 million in funding to support nature restoration and help communities across England adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Announced on Wednesday 30 September, the national funding package will support projects aimed at restoring natural habitats, improving biodiversity and helping communities become more resilient to the effects of a changing climate.

The announcement builds on existing environmental initiatives across the West of England, where the Mayoral Combined Authority has already pledged £5 million this year through its Nature Fund to help restore green spaces and waterways.

Supporting Nature Across the West of England

The region has already seen progress on environmental restoration projects, including woodland restoration at Pucklechurch as part of the development of the new Western Forest.

The Western Forest initiative aims to create and restore woodland across the region, providing opportunities to improve biodiversity and enhance natural spaces for local communities.

Mayor Helen Godwin highlighted the importance of continued investment and partnership working in delivering environmental improvements.

She said:

“The West of England is already taking action to restore nature, with £5 million pledged this year through our Nature Fund to help bring our green spaces and waterways back to life.”

The Mayor also pointed to the restoration of woodland in Pucklechurch as an example of how local environmental projects are already making a difference.

Building a Greener, More Resilient Region

The Government’s new funding is intended to help communities across the country restore natural environments while responding to the growing challenges posed by climate change.

Helen Godwin welcomed the opportunity to build on the region’s existing work, saying:

“This new government funding will help us to go further, providing greener, healthier, and more wildlife-friendly outdoor spaces for our communities, while strengthening our region against the growing impacts of climate change.”

The Mayor emphasised that investment and collaboration with local partners would be important in targeting improvements where they could have the greatest impact on biodiversity.

Investing in the Region’s Natural Future

The announcement reflects a wider focus on restoring natural environments and improving access to green spaces, with projects designed to benefit both wildlife and local communities.

For Bath and North East Somerset, the wider West of England’s environmental initiatives form part of ongoing efforts to protect and enhance the region’s natural landscape.

Further information about the Government’s funding announcement is available at GOV.UK.

To learn more about environmental projects across the region, visit the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.