Local Places for Nature garden wins top conservation award

A Local Places for Nature wildlife garden created at Coleg Cambria in Flintshire has won an award for conservation.

The new wildlife corridor and wellbeing garden at Coleg Cambria received a prize in the Business category at the inaugural Bionet Awards, held at Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Bionet, the local nature partnership for North East Wales, praised the creation of a biodiverse area featuring more than 2,000 native bulbs, fruit trees, hedgerows, bird, bat and hedgerow boxes and a sanctuary where students, staff and the community can improve their health and wellbeing.

Classroom assistant Brian Valentine and a group of Jobs Growth Wales+ learners, staff and members of the Construction Trainee Academy began work on the 40 square metre site 12 months ago as part of our Local Places for Nature project.

To win this award less than 12 months after the garden and wildlife corridor opened is a huge honour for us. As it’s a living, breathing project it will continue to evolve and grow, but this gives us a platform to do even more in the years ahead. Other departments and the college as a whole will benefit from this initiative long-term as we have included development and maintenance of the site into our class schedule, working in partnership with stakeholders such as Keep Wales Tidy and local businesses.

Brian Valentine
Coleg Cambria Classroom Assistant

The garden is one of 900 green spaces created, restored and enhanced across the country thanks to Local Places for Nature funding. The project is funded by the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature programme which is run by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales

It’s been a pleasure helping Coleg Cambria create such a beautiful Local Places for Nature garden. Thank you to the passionate staff, volunteers and pupils for making it possible. This garden will benefit the local community and wildlife for many years to come.

Wendy Jones
Keep Wales Tidy Project Officer for Flintshire

Not only do the gardens benefit local wildlife and nature, but they also make a difference to the physical and mental well-being of those involved now, and in the future.

This is a fantastic achievement and we’re delighted that one of our Local Places for Nature funded gardens has been formally recognised by Bionet for having such a huge impact on the environment, wildlife and wellbeing of staff, students and visitors at the college. This award demonstrates just how important creating nature on your doorstep is for both people and wildlife.

Louise Tambini
Keep Wales Tidy Deputy Chief Executive