Liverpool Conservation Group awarded substantial grant to improve Local Nature Reserve

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The Friends of Childwall Woods and Fields have been granted £90,000 to spend on access and habitat improvements.

 

 

The Friends of Childwall Woods and Fields (www.fcwf.org.uk) have been granted £90,000 to spend on access and habitat improvements. The S106 funding from Liverpool City Council and grant from Veolia Environmental Trust is a positive endorsement of the group’s activities and future plans. The Friends’ are a not for profit Conservation Group who work in partnership with Liverpool City Council (LCC) to maintain and enhance the Local Nature Reserve in Childwall, south Liverpool.

John McCombs the FCWF Chair said that the money will be spent on much needed improvements to the reserve including the pathways allowing even more people to access this fantastic site. This year long project will see the creation of a wetland environment, significant wildflowers being planted, invasive species better managed and trees planted. It will mean safer, easier access for the less mobile with improvements to many of the muddy pathways, improved signage and the installation of resting places. The project will also benefit the already abundant wildlife; the fungi, wildflowers, butterflies, squirrels, bats and owls.

I can’t praise the Friends highly enough said Cllr Alan Tormey LibDem Childwall, saying that they have transformed the site in recent times; removing accumulated rubbish, clearing brambles and fallen branches, as well as completing conservation activities and public events to improve our understanding of the natural world on our doorstep. I have no doubt that the group will deliver the improvements the site so rightly deserves. Our green spaces have been a blessing during the Covid crisis giving people respite from the confinement of lockdown and safe access to fresh air and exercise.

Liverpool City Council’s Green Infrastructure Officer, Helen Rawlinson said that working in partnership with the Friends’ groups empowered individuals to improve their local area giving communities a greater sense of pride. The project also contributes to promoting active lifestyles and reducing issues such as anti-social behaviour. Exploring the City’s parks and greenspaces helps us reconnect with the natural world and improve wellbeing. Childwall Woods and Fields is a special place to visit.

Jeff Sears, Director at Veolia Merseyside and Halton, said: “We are proud to have been able to support this important project with a Landfill Communities Fund grant. As part of the project will make the area more accessible, we look forward to seeing the benefits that it will bring to the community and wildlife for years to come.”