Case Study: Gwent Green Grid Partnership - Monlife

Case Study: Gwent Green Grid Partnership

Objective:

The Gwent Green Grid Partnership (GGGP) is a three-year project running from March 2020 to March 2023. The partnership includes the five Local  Authorities of Gwent (Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Newport and Torfaen), as well as Natural Resources Wales, Forest Research and Severn Wye Energy Agency.

The GGGP aims to improve and develop green infrastructure – a term used to describe the network of natural and semi-natural features, green spaces, rivers and lakes that intersperse and connect villages, towns and cities – as well as provide green job opportunities within the area. Green infrastructure has a crucial role to play in addressing nature, climate change and health emergencies.

Implementation:

The GGG Partnership is delivering across five workstreams:

Workstream 1: Regional Green Infrastructure Strategy and Partnership:

The GGGP demonstrates a pioneering way of working collaboratively to deliver strategic and local outcomes to provide a regional approach to Green Infrastructure in Gwent.

Workstream 2: Gwent Green corridors

Looking at access issues at a regional scale will support best practice and support the delivery of works of the ground locally and regionally. Four trainee countryside rangers are employed by the partnership to delivery access improvements and gain skills and qualifications in countryside management.

Workstream 3: i-Tree Eco Study

i-Tree is a software application which is used to quantify the structure and environmental effects of urban trees. The data from these surveys can be used to help those who look after trees to make informed management decisions.

Workstream 4 : Gwent Green Projects

In this workstream green infrastructure improvements are being delivered across the region, including landscape enhancements, implementation of pollinator friendly management, tree planting and access improvements.

Workstream 5 : Pollinator Friendly Gwent

Green spaces are being managed the ‘Nature isn’t Neat’ way, letting grassland in parks and along verges grow in the spring and summer to create meadow areas and provide better habitats for pollinators, such as bees and butterflies as well as a variety of other wildlife.

Results:

On the ground works can be seen across Gwent. Some improvements being made in Monmouthshire include:

  • Tree planting across the county
  • Pollinator friendly grassland management
  • Engagement events with local communities

The GGGP team will be buzzing with activities and events in 2022, so follow us on Twitter @Gwentgreengrid for all the latest news and please re-tweet and share widely.

For more updates please CLICK HERE.

This post is also available in: Welsh