The Action Earth campaign, run by national charity Volunteering Matters, has just made Winter grants available to support communities with outdoor environmental volunteering.
Projects can apply now to the campaign for activities such as tree and hedge planting, bird & bat box building and siting and habitat creation and improvements. Activities should conclude by the end of January 2023. The campaign is funded by NatureScot.
Nature is in crisis and we face a climate emergency. Last year, 157 successful projects completed, showing great resilience and adaptability in the face of very difficult circumstances. This year our focus is on helping restore and protect environments to deliver a ‘nature-rich’ future for all.
Volunteering Matters Action Earth offers easy-to-access grants of up to £250 for environmental activities across Scotland.
We have limited numbers of nature awards for Winter for any group of volunteers carrying out practical environmental improvements or wildlife habitat creation in their local green spaces. Previous projects have included meadow and pond creation, woodland and wetland renovations and creating and improving community gardens.
We are also keen to support projects working with people with disabilities, defined health issues or barriers to involvement. From last year’s 157 projects to benefit from Action Earth grant funding, over 4,406 volunteers were involved in improving biodiversity in their community – 1,329 of them having defined health and social issues.
The campaign is also keen to hear from projects whose work benefits disadvantaged communities especially in urban areas or in places with reduced local amenity. 50% of volunteers in 2021 were from areas in the lowest 20% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska said: “Nature can be a powerful tool in bringing communities together and rallying them into action, whether it’s to protect local greenspaces or create new opportunities for enriched biodiversity.
“In doing so, community groups have the chance, through the Action Earth campaign, to be involved in activities which help tackle the climate emergency, while enjoying the benefits of companionship, wellbeing and purpose. We are looking forward to welcoming lots of exciting project ideas this year.”
For those looking for inspiration for their projects, the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website has instructions on how to build bird boxes, bat boxes, frog hibernacula, hedgehog boxes and bee/insect homes.
NatureScot also has a host of tips to help nature through its Make Space for Nature campaign.
More information is available and applications can be made NOW at the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website:
https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk/project/action-earth
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