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Plymouth Natural Grid project

Welcome to Plymouth Natural Grid!

We are on a mission to help nature and people adapt to climate change. We do this by using nature as a solution to environmental challenges we are facing.

Over the past year, our rangers have been enhancing wildlife across Plymouth and delivered skills, training and learning opportunities for young people, through Kickstart apprenticeships and short-term accredited learning programmes. 

People planting seeds
Photo credit: Chris Parkes
People tree thinning
Photo credit: Chris Parkes
People in front of building
Photo credit: Chris Parkes

Plymouth Natural Grid will be continuing their work in the city, we have secured funding of £966,000 for a nature-based solutions project. The programme is co-sponsored by BEIS and Defra and led by Natural England in partnership with the Environment Agency, RBG Kew and the Forestry Commission. This will be a 15 month partnership project between Plymouth City Council, National Trust and Natural England; creating and restoring habitats with local communities across 8 nature reserves in Plymouth and South Devon to combat climate change.

The project will run between January 2023 and March 2024 and the team will consist of National Trust Rangers, Plymouth City Council Officers and young Apprentices.

Aims

The project’s main aims are:

  • Creating, restoring and enhancing 99.7ha of habitat for climate mitigation using Nature Based solutions
  • Creating a volunteer base to assist with practical conservation on our project sites
  • Connecting local communities to their greenspaces and raising awareness about climate change and biodiversity

List of sites 

  1. Budshead Wood
  2. Efford Marsh
  3. Ham Woods
  4. Newnham Meadows
  5. Radford Woods
  6. Seaton Valley
  7. Saltram NT
  8. Wembury NT

Map of sites

Map of sites in Plymouth

Volunteer with us

Person talking to children
Photo credit: Chris Parkes
People watering ground
Photo credit: Chris Parkes
People jumping
Photo credit: Chris Parkes

A focus on accessibility and inclusion is at the forefront of engagements as the team is dedicated to bringing nature to everyone. The project aims to include all demographics in Plymouth to access and enjoy the natural environment, including more deprived areas of the city. We engage with users and local communities of the 8 sites through interpretative materials and discussions around the work we are doing in the area.

We also have volunteer opportunities for locals to get involved in enhancing their own greenspaces. More information is on our Plymouth Natural Grid volunteering page.

The team also runs biodiversity workshops with schools and children through the Junior Urban Ranger campaign- inspiring young nature ambassadors to care for their environment.

Follow us:

On Instagram: plymouthnaturalgrid

On Facebook: Nature Plymouth

Or contact us at: plymouthnaturalgrid@plymouth.gov.uk

Plymouth Natural Grid logo