Archive: Buxton Civic Association was awarded this grant in 2020.
Buxton Civic Association was awarded £249,700 in 2020 for its Stronger Roots woodland project.
The government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund was delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund with environmental bodies. The first round awarded almost £40 million to 68 projects across England.
A second round opened in March 2021 with up to £40 million available.
The 2020 award supported Stronger Roots: Regeneration and Healing in Buxton’s Community Woods, including woodland restoration and activities connecting people with nature.
The government said the first-round projects were expected to plant more than 800,000 trees across England; this was a programme-wide forecast, not a total for Buxton.
The project aimed to address ash dieback and build on the importance of local woods to people during the COVID-19 lockdown.
In its original project description, the association linked woodland restoration with community wellbeing and opportunities to connect with nature.
The 2020 announcement listed these planned activities:
Nature conservation/restoration
• Repair ecological damage, especially that caused by ash dieback
• Create regeneration clearings
• Collect local tree seeds and cuttings; documentation; community involvement
• Tree nursery; growing seeds to forest transplant size
• Fell/pollard trees; maintain public safety; create deadwood habitat
• Repair drystone walls
Nature-based solutions
• Woodland restoration
Connecting people with nature
• Nature connectedness innovation and research project
• Nature-based well-being activity programme
• Programme of nature care events for groups with additional needs
• New community theatre experience, celebrating woodland regeneration
• Expanded Forest Schools programme
• Nature-based play facilities
• Art projects with local artists collective
• Targeted engagement with disadvantaged groups
• Multi-media outreach/information campaign for the wider community
The original plan anticipated three new posts and training, volunteering and work-experience opportunities.
In the original 2020 announcement, BCA’s then chair Peter Phillipson said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this grant. This year our core funding has been hit badly, but it is essential that we plan for the future and we are extremely excited by the projects that will be enabled through this funding. The money will provide us with a brilliant opportunity to help bring even more people into our woods in Buxton and to give them all the healing benefits that result from close contact with nature. At the same time, it enables us to redress some of the devastation caused in the last two years by Ash dieback disease and to kick start the process of regenerating the woods for the future. We are pleased that it will give us a chance not only to provide employment for three new members of staff but also provide an opportunity to support some local green freelancers and will support several small local environmental arts and wellbeing organisations.”
In the 2020 government announcement, environment minister Rebecca Pow and then National Lottery Heritage Fund chief executive Ros Kerslake highlighted nature recovery, jobs and wellbeing.
In its 2022 trustees’ report, the association reported 2,127 participants in Stronger Roots woodland wellbeing and nature-connection activities. The report does not specify whether the figure counts distinct people.
In a project overview published in January 2023, the association recorded 227 events and 4,178 attendances across the activities covered. It said the attendance count included some people who came more than once.
The association’s 2023 trustees’ report said funding for Stronger Roots ended on 31 March 2023 and that community engagement would continue using existing resources.
You can follow Buxton Civic Association and their ongoing work via their website and on their Facebook page.
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