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Bristol Parks Forum Update

In this update:

Reminders
Future Parks Update
Launch of Bristol City Council’s Ecological Emergency Action Plan
Biodiversity Net Gain
Disabled Climate Action
Tree and Woodland Strategy for the West of England
Green Space Diversity, Inclusion & Participation Consultant

Reminders

A couple of reminders from my last update:

Love Your Park Small Grants

Applications open until Sunday 5th September at 8pm

Guidance - www.yourpark.org.uk/lypcf/

Contact Judy Gowenlock on 07711 049 196 or grants@yourpark.org.uk

BCC Health & Safety Training

Friday 3^rd September 9.30am – 2.45pm at Eastville Park in the Nissen Hut
Saturday 4^th September 9.30am – 2.45pm at Kings Weston House

Training about Crowdfunding

Provided by Groundwork UK

Tuesday 7 September (2-3.30pm) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/163160825421
Wednesday 15 September (6.30-8pm) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/163160899643

For any queries, please contact Ian Goodman at ian.goodman@mypark.scot

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Future Parks Update

The Future Parks website has now been updated.

The first phase of Bristol Future Parks will pilot an Expression of Interest process, due to open on 25 October 2021.

The pilot sites are:

Blaise Castle Estate
Eastville Park
Dame Emily Park
Chaplin Road Green Space
Sea Mills Recreation Ground

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Launch of Bristol City Council’s Ecological Emergency Action Plan

The Council’s Ecological Emergency Action Plan is due to be launched on Wednesday 1^st September – look out for coverage in the local press.

This plan is the Council’s response to the One City Ecological Emergency Strategy that was launched last year.

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Biodiversity Net Gain

On a related subject, some thoughts from Len on a new approach to provide benefits for biodiversity in the planning process.

If you are dealing with (or may in the future be dealing with) changes of land use to your green space – or a green space in the area for development that has to go through the formal planning application system, there has always been criteria for Local Authorities to consider when looking at whether the loss of green space should go ahead.

Traditionally, one of those has been whether there is “significant harm” to the sites – if the harm cannot be avoided, and mitigation and compensation measures has been considered. If there is still significant harm the proposal is advised to be rejected. That still remains.

Now the Government has brought in the idea of Biodiversity Net Gain – which involves a calculation of the habitats that are affected and the provision of habitats both on the site or in other locations.

BBC Countryfile covered it well in one of its programmes – so for “countryside” – replace it with the name of a green space.

It is now applied to all development in Bristol – as a matter of good practice. As you hear on the programme it will be a legal requirement later this year – due to come into force in 2023. It starts about 9.20 minutes in.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ywg1/countryfile-coniston

The thing to remember I would suggest is that it is not everything – and does not cover every aspect about biodiversity/wildlife – or the environment.

If you want to go further into why etc – check out…

Biodiversity metric: calculate the biodiversity net gain of a project or development - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

https://pas.gov.uk/pas/topics/environment/biodiversity-net-gain

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Disabled Climate Action

The Bristol Disability Equality Forum has launched a Community Climate Action project.

The project is bringing together Disabled people in Bristol to create a community climate action plan to create projects that are good for Disabled people and the planet. Many Disabled people are still isolating due to the pandemic, they are therefore trying to spread the word as widely as possible.

The plan is likely to have some projects on green spaces, there should be lots of interesting ways to link up with the parks.

There is an excellent video which has been produced to support the project and a survey to get people’s views and ideas:

https://bristoldef.org.uk/community-climate-action/

The Bristol Disability Equality Forum also have physical copies of both the survey and video if you would like some of these or have any other questions contact cca.bristoldef@gmail.com

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Tree and Woodland Strategy for the West of England

Earlier this year the Forest of Avon Trust and West of England Nature Partnership published a new Tree and Woodland Strategy.

It’s a big document – but may be have a read of the actual plans which are about specific geographical areas.

There are three relevant to the Bristol area which may be beneficial to know about with commitments about improving trees and woodlands in those areas:
On page 104 – Shirehampton and Blaise Ridges.
Page 108 – Frome Valley
Page 112 to 113 – Greater Bristol

For further information - https://forestofavontrust.org/forest-of-avon-plan/

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Green Space Diversity, Inclusion & Participation Consultant

Your Park Bristol & Bath have a short term consultancy role on offer to help understand how to engage with a more diverse range of communities to widen access to the benefits of parks, green spaces and nature.

More info here

Please pass this job opportunity on to any one you know who might be interested.

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Rob Acton-Campbell
Bristol Parks Forum
www.bristolparksforum.org.uk/vision/

The minutes from the May meeting are on our website at www.bristolparksforum.org.uk/meetings/ Next meeting Sat 16th October – we will decide nearer the time whether this can be a face to face meeting or whether it will be on zoom.

Report problems in parks to BCC at: www.bristol.gov.uk/reportparkproblem

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